


DYNASTY (It all fell down)

by clexa_choni



Series: Dynasty [1]
Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-09
Updated: 2017-10-03
Packaged: 2018-10-16 15:31:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 22
Words: 23,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10574208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clexa_choni/pseuds/clexa_choni
Summary: "The night was red, the fire burning from Arcadia ablaze. The earsplitting sound of the higher parts of the ship crashing sounded in everyone’s ears. Bellamy Blake was squatting down, his sister cradled in his arms. Echo watched them from the distance."Echo has feelings for Bellamy, something she never had the freedom to do before. Bellamy feels the same, but he isn't quick to forgive because what happened to his sister. They're both confused, rightly so. But Praimfaya is coming, and they have to finally address their feelings, because nobody wants to die--or live--alone.





	1. Prologue

The night was red, the fire burning from Arcadia ablaze. The earsplitting sound of the higher parts of the ship crashing sounded in everyone’s ears. Bellamy Blake was squatting down, his sister cradled in his arms. Echo watched them from the distance.

          Bellamy Blake, the boy she met in Mount Weather. He saved her, in more ways than one. First, he had let them bleed him so she wouldn’t be bled that day. Secondly, when he got free, he promised to come back for her. And he did. He helped her from the cage, helped them all. And all the Grounders alike abandoned Skaikru. She would’ve stayed and fought if she could, she would have. But she was weak and hungry, and thirsty. So thirsty. She could barely stand. And she was free. And then, months later, when she was healthy and fit again, Nia told her to—no, Nia _made_ her—go lead him away, to start a war. She didn’t know about Bellamy’s girlfriend, honestly she didn’t, not until it was too late. She regretted it, and she still does.

          Her eyes drifted to Octavia Blake, the sister. Roan sent her to bring the girl back alive, and instead she had killed her. But she _wasn’t_ dead. But that didn’t matter, not to Bellamy, because Echo had still hurt her. Octavia was lunged at her, and Echo’s sword had pierced her. Echo was about to grab her but she fell off the cliff. Echo swears that it wasn’t an accident she fell—the girl had backed off the cliff, so Echo wouldn’t have a body to deliver to Bellamy. It broke Echo’s heart when she told the boy the news, when she heard the sobs shaking from his body. She cried that night. Not for the girl, but for the boy. The boy she… _loved?_

          **_Echo doesn’t know how to love._ _Queen Nia made sure of it._**

          It hurt more when Echo found the boy and a friend on her land, hunting. She was gentle, careful with Bellamy. She had no problem killing the other boy—he was a traitor after all. But she didn’t dare touch Bellamy. He became a prisoner—that’s how she ended up telling him about his sister.

          And so much went down. There was almost a war, her king almost got assassinated. And when one of the Skaikru boys—the one who tried to kill her king—went rogue, she went to shoot him with her arrow. She never misses. But when Bellamy jumped in front of her tense bow, and when he said her name in an earnest voice…she wouldn’t— _no, she **couldn’t**_ —shoot. She didn’t shoot. And more than that, she covered for him. For them.

          That’s when the explosion sounded in the air and the sky turned gray with smoke. The four of them raced to Arcadia, reaching it by nightfall, and the world was ablaze. She didn’t have time to talk to him, he was cradling his sister, and even after Octavia had pushed him away and stalked away from him with the aid of a friend, he kept to himself.

          Roan sent her back to Polis with his army.

          It was a waiting game.


	2. The Blame Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bellamy is protective of his little smol bean panda

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for any errors/choppiness. I do not currently have a beta to look look over before posting

**_Echo_ **

          It had been just over a week since Roan had sent me back to Polis. “To keep the peace,” he said. _Yeah, right._ With word of Praimfaya out, nearly half of the Azgeda army left to go home, to be with their family for when we faced the inevitable. And on the return home, they burnt Trikru villages to the ground.

          _Leaving me to pick up the pieces._

 _Leaving me to deal with vengeful Trikru in Polis_.

Yesterday, was a tragic day. Nearly _fifty_ of my warriors were slaughtered. Skaikru had armed Trikru and with the guns, they took out my men. They took our temple and, from what my spies pieced together, they found safety. A bunker beneath the temple, a place where over a thousand people could live to ride out Praimfaya. My spies also returned with fateful words. _Azgeda will never see the inside of this._

We should have never trusted Skaikru.

*****************************************************

**_Bellamy_ **

“Kane!”

Clarke, Roan, and I had just arrived in Polis. Kane exited the temple and called for us to hurry. He seemed…anxious. Like we would be under attack at any second. Roan warned us that Polis was a warzone, with Trikru and Azgeda both here.

“ _Ai Haihefa! Yu komba raun_.”

Echo appeared with two hulking warriors at her sides. And she looked pissed.

“Echo,” Roan greeted her uneasily. His brow furrowed. “What happened?”

Echo glared at Clarke with more hate than I’ve ever seen. “ _Skaikru_ happened.”

“What happened?” Clarke asked.

“ _Your_ people armed Trikru, with _your_ weapons. I lost _fifty_ of my warriors yesterday.” She was seething, eyes flashing dangerously. She switched to her native tongue. “ _Ai don tel yo op, Ai Haihefa. Skaikru en wanlida. Emo saik au non wich in_.”

“Who armed them? _Echo!_ ” he stepped in front of Clarke, blocking her from the furious warrior’s sight.

“ _Klikalida._ ”

“What did she say?” I dared to ask. “Echo!”

She finally turned to me, her hard face softening a bit. “The bringer of the key.”

“Jaha,” I mumbled. _Of fucking course_. “Was he alone?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know who else was with him. Two others. One of my men thinks it’s your leader with him.”

“Kane.” _Damn it, Kane!_ I thought angrily. Why was he with Jaha? Who did he have with him? “We need to speak to Kane,” I said, meeting Clarke’s gaze.

“We’re coming with you,” Roan spoke with finality.

“I’m not sure that’s the best idea,” I said slowly.

“I agree with him, sire.” I gave Echo a nod of thanks. She nodded back, warily. She trusted me, to what extent I didn’t know quite yet.

I started towards the temple, Clarke following me, praying that we wouldn’t be Trikru’s next targets. We made it into the temple, and were greeted by Trikru warrior guarding a hole.

“The shelter,” I whispered.

She nodded.

“We’re here to see Chancellor Kane,” I told the warriors. They ignored me, as when Clarke took a step towards them, one of them drew their sword.

“Woah!” I put my hands up and silently begged Clarke would fall back. If these were the same warriors who had used guns to slaughter Echo’s people, then they were dangerous. _“Clarke!”_

She folded her arms and glared at the warriors. _Did this girl have a death wish?_

“Let us through. _Now._ ”

One of the warriors laughed. _“Ha oso na wich yu in?”_

We looked at each other in confusion.

“We saw you out there—talking to the Azgeda King and Spy.” The other warrior spit. “Azgeda and their allies are not welcome here. Leave before we kill you!”

“Enough!” I shouted loudly, hoping the sound reached Kane. Sure enough, just as the second warrior dew his sword, Kane and Indra appeared from the shelter.

 _“Hod op!”_ Indra ordered and the warriors sheathed their swords.

“Bellamy, you arrived,” Kane began but drifted off at the look on our faces.

“I just spoke to Echo,” I said between gritted teeth. “Kane, you called open fire on her people?”

“I did what I had to.”

“And killing Azgeda helped you how?” My voice rose to a shout. “You could have killed _her!_ ”

“I wish we had,” Indra growled.

I don’t know what came over me, but I pulled my gun from its holster and pointed it at her. I felt an odd sense of… _protection_ over her.

“You shouldn’t care for that Azgeda _spy_. It’s better for everyone if she was dead. She’s too close a link to Nia anyways. _Nia’s_ dead, _Ontari’s_ dead…it’s the _spy’s_ turn.”

“Enough!” I screamed.

Clarke grabbed my arm when I went to pull the trigger. “Bellamy, no! Think of Octavia,” she pleaded. “If there’s a chance of her forgiving you, it’ll be gone if you do anything to Indra.”

I hesitated. “Clarke was right. But I had to make it clear that I won’t tolerate them threatening Echo—threatening Azgeda, our allies. In a split second I turned the gun to the guard who had pulled the sword first and shot him in chest, twice. His lifeless body fell to the ground and Kane, Indra, and Clarke looked at e in disbelief.

The door behind us swung open.

_“Bellamy!”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRANSLATIONS:   
> “Ai Haihefa! Yu komba raun.”--My King! You're back.
> 
> “Ai don tel yo op, Ai Haihefa. Skaikru en wanlida. Emo saik au non wich in.”--I told you, my king. Skaikru are bringers of death. We cannot trust them.
> 
> “Klikalida.”--Bringer of the Key
> 
> Ha oso na wich yu in?”--Why should we listen to you?
> 
> "Hod op!"--Hold on!


	3. Love Doesn't Come Easy

**_Bellamy_ **

“Bellamy!” Echo, with Roan right behind her, flew through the door. Roan had his sword out and Echo’s knuckles were white from her death grip on her bow.

“We heard shouting and shots,” Roan growled. His gaze shifted and he saw the body on the ground. _“Oh.”_

“ _Azgeda_ isn’t welcome here,” Indra hissed. She turned to her remaining guard. _“Frag em op.”_

Before I could even think about what she said, Roan’s sword was flying through the air and burying itself in the guard’s chest.

“Was that necessary!” Kane shouted, shielding Indra in case Echo decided to let her arrows fly.

Roan nodded briskly and, staring at Echo, replied “she told that warrior to kill Echo.”

*****************************************************

**_Echo_ **

“Echo. _Echo!_ Where are you going?” I huffed and ignored the Sky Boy. I needed to get as far away from those people as I could. I needed to get as far away from Polis as I could. I just needed to get away from everything. He caught up and grasped my arm, swinging me around to face him. “Echo. Where are you going?”

“I don’t know. Home.”

“Where is home?”

I averted my gaze. “Azgeda.”

“Echo, the radiation storm is in _six days_. If you leave…”

I swallowed hard. “I know.”

“Echo…” he was pleading. Begging me to stay. Begging me to _live_.

“Look, Bellamy. They won’t let Azgeda in the hole if I’m alive. They think Roan and I are too strong together.”

 _“Together?”_ I saw a hint of dejection. _I didn’t understand these feelings._

“Yeah…they think that Roan and I would make a big power couple. _Too_ big. Trikru won’t risk it. But Bellamy, we aren’t. Roan and I aren’t like that! We clash way too much anyways.”

“But…” he was trying to think this through quickly. I could almost see the gears in his head working. “If you aren’t together…then maybe they won’t care if both of you are there.”

“Yeah, like they’d believe an _Azgeda Spy_ ,” I mumbled.

“Hey,” he put his hands on my shoulders. I tensed and he hesitated but left his hands, lightly massaging my shoulders. I involunteeringly relaxed. _Damn it_. “We can _show_ them.”

“You mean pretend that we are together?”

He looked genuinely hurt when I said _pretend_ but he quickly masked it. “Yeah.” I wanted him, I did. But I’d never been with someone that way. It was forbidden. Having fun as one thing, according to Nia, but falling in love, that was another. _Hodnes laik kwelnes. Love is weakness_. I wasn’t so sure I believed that anymore.

_But it was the end of the world, and we had things to do._

“Okay.”

He reached out hesitantly. I hesitated before taking his hand in mine. He led me back to the temple. Roan looked more than relieved when we entered. The Chancellor stepped forward—Kane, I think his name was.

“Bellamy, Echo—we’ve come to a…understanding. Indra is worried that you, Echo, are in a relationship with the king and could plan to overthrow Trikru once we’re in the bunker. Roan denied any relationship beyond King and War Chief. We need to hear it from you.”

I drew in a breath. “Roan and I have no romantic relationship. We are no coup plotters. We just want to survive like you.”

“Can you prove it?” Indra growled. She didn’t believe us. To her, we were just Azgeda scum.

“I can,” Bellamy spoke up, standing tall. “Echo and I…we have a romantic relationship. It started shortly before Arcadia blew up. We kept it a secret because we didn’t think it was safe.” He looked at me, passion burning in his eyes. “I love her.”

And I knew he wasn’t _pretending_.


	4. Forgiveness Comes Easy for Some

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Octavia is back, O and Echo sorta-kinda bond

**_Bellamy_ **

After I confessed my love for Echo in front of everyone, there were no doubts. Indra backed off and agreed to let Azgeda—Echo and Roan included—in the shelter. I was currently sitting on a log in front of a fire, Echo sitting across from me. She hasn’t spoken to me since. She didn’t seen angry, she seemed just lost in thought.

Monty appeared beside me, sitting on a leg beside mine. “Kane just told me what happened.” He shifted his gaze to Echo, who was staring at her lap. “You _love_ her?”

“If you’re here to tell me about how bad it is that I fell for a girl from Azgeda, don’t.”

“No, no I wouldn’t tell you that. I’m happy for you. A little down because you didn’t tell your friends that you’re in love, but you know.” He gave me a smile. “I really am happy for you.”

“So…Big Brother’s in love?”

I swung around so fast I nearly fell off of my seat. _Octavia_. She’s _alive_. She hadn’t been seen since she took off into the woods shortly before the black. She stared at me, her expression not hostile but not welcoming either. She abruptly strode past me and over to Echo. “I need to talk to you,” she said in a clipped tone. Echo got up and followed with question.

And I was left to wonder what O had to say to her.

**_Echo_ **

I followed the Sky Girl down the deserted street. If she wanted to get back at me for nearly killing her, then this was the place. I suddenly wish I had left my sword—if she did decide to get revenge, my instincts would take over and that is the opposite of what would bring Bellamy and me together.

She suddenly stopped and turned to me. “I need to talk to you about my brother. Do you love him?”

“What…?” I was stumped to say the least.

“Bellamy, do you love him?”

“I do,” I whispered.

She nodded. “Good.”

I frowned. “I nearly killed you. Don’t you hate me?”

She smirked. “I’m a warrior, too, Echo. You did what you had to do. I respect that.” Now I was speechless. “You were just following orders, and sometimes following orders can be hard or have consequences. But to answer your question: no, I don’t hate you.” She drew in a breath. “In fact, I forgive you.”

“But you don’t forgive your brother.” It wasn’t a question.

“I can’t. If I tell him I forgave him…then I might get close to him again. And if I get close to him and he dies, it’ll _kill_ me. I can’t…I can’t let him get close, I have to stay away and the only way to do that is for him to think I _hate_ him, that I still _blame_ him.” she was silently crying now, tears leaving trails down her cheeks.

“Hurt them before they hurt you, right? I did that, my whole life, and it isn’t fun, Octavia. I’d rather be hurt than be miserable and alone.”

She shook her head rapidly. “I can’t.” she breathed deeply through her nose and swiped at her cheeks. “I’m glad he has you. He needs somebody.”

I cautiously reached out and took her hand. She didn’t pull away like I thought she would. “He needs _you_.” She shook her head again. “Look, I don’t much about family since never had one, but from what I’ve seen, it’s important to the both of you. This is the end of the world, Octavia. You need to tell him now, because if something does happen to him, you’ll always regret it.”

She bit her lip, contemplating what I said. Then she turned away with only an _“I’ve got to take care of my horse”_ over her shoulder.

I sighed, hoping that the sky girl truly listened to what I had said. I really did care for Bellamy…I love him. And I know him enough to know he needs his sister, that her pushing away from him hurt him deeply.

I may not have had to deal with the turmoil of family dysfunction, but I dealt with much worse. I had to deal with no family at all. No hand to hold, no one to kiss my forehead before bed, no one to read me stories, no soothing voice when I had nightmare, nobody to protect me from Queen Nia’s whips and vicious words.

_I spent my twenty years of life alone. And that’s no life to live._

I walked back to where the fire and Bellamy were, lost in thought. I reached the spot and saw that Bellamy and Monty were still talking by the fire. I sat on my log across from them and just watched.


	5. Dear Brother, Dear Sister

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bellamy/Octavia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise we'll be back to the Bellamy/Echo story after this chapter! I felt that Octavia's forgiveness was important to both Echo and Bellamy's development and to especially their relationship cause Echo kinda did almost kill O (accidentally, but still)

**_Octavia_ **

_Five days until the radioactive storm_

I thought long and hard about what Echo had said all night. She was right, but…could I really just tell Bellamy I forgave him? Could I just let him in and take it, the good and the bad?

_It isn’t fair to him, it never was._

It isn’t fair to me either, but I could stop his suffering even if I couldn’t stop mine.

I could have my brother back.

He could have his sister back.

We could be happy. _Couldn’t we?_ We could be happy for our final days, and happier if we both survived.

 _We could_.

I stood up and dusted my pants off. It was time to find my brother.

*********************************************************

**_Bellamy_ **

“Bell?”

She appeared behind me, once again. And, once again, I wondered what she and Echo had talked about. Echo wouldn’t tell what had been said. But maybe O would. She hasn’t called me _Bell_ in so long, not since Lincoln had died.

I got a closer look at her. She looked absolutely miserable.

“O. Are you okay?”

She nodded. “Can we talk?”

“Of course.” I patted the log beside me.

She shook her head. “Not out here. Somewhere private.”

Without a word I was up and following her into the tower. She found an unoccupied room and sat at the edge of the bed. I sat beside her and frowned at how fidgety she was. _What happened last night?_

She whispered something in a broken voice and I strained unsuccessfully to hear. “What, O?”

“I’m sorry,” she sobbed.

Immediately my arms were around her, holding her close. I rocked her back and forth as she sobbed. Minutes—or was it hours?—passed before she was calm enough to speak coherently.

“Bell, I—I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry I blamed you all this time.”

It felt like my heart was breaking, watching her break down in tears before me. “I—I’m sorry.”

“Shh, it’s okay, O.”

“No it isn’t! I just…” another wave of sobs racked through her body.

She drew in a breath, steadying herself. “I need to tell you everything. And I need you to not freak out.”

I nodded shakily. _I need you to not freak out._ What she was about to tell me was bad. And I had to keep my cool if I wanted her to tell me everything. I wasn’t too sure I wanted to hear everything, but I’d so—or listen to—anything to get my sister back.

She sighed. “Okay. I was really angry, and hurt, when Lincoln died. That he died because you sided with Pike. You were the one who started the whole _‘Pike for Chancellor’_ campaign, you led an army to slaughter _three hundred_ sleeping warriors, you led another army to kill an _entire village_. You did a lot of bad things, Bell.”

I nodded. I knew what I did, it haunts me every day. And it probably will the rest of my life. I’m almost gad that it haunts me—it reminds me of the man I became and the man I never want to be again.

“I went down a pretty dark path, I’ll admit it. I…I’m not perfect either. I hurt you, physically _and_ emotionally the past few months and I’m…I’m _so_ sorry.” She took another shaky breath and sniffed, trying to keep her emotions at bay long enough to tell me her story.

“I thought…I pushed you away. I made you think that I hated you, I tried to make you hate me, so that we didn’t grow close again. After Lincoln…you’re all I have left, besides maybe Ilian. But if something happened to you, it’d _kill_ me, Bell. _It would_. I needed to protect myself, and you too in some way. But…I, um…I love you Bell. I _never_ stopped, and I’m so sorry I made you think I did.”

I grabbed her in a bone-crushing hug. Then I remembered something.

“O, Ilian? Isn’t he the guy who burned Arkadia down?”

She nodded slowly. “There’s more I haven’t told you yet.”

I nodded to her to continue, but she hesitated. “Remember how I told you not the freak out?”

I nodded. _What was she about to say? Was she with this guy?_

“I tried to kill him. While you were out delivering the hydrazine. I put him on his knees and held a gun to his head…the same place that Pike did that to Lincoln, and… _I didn’t even know who I was anymore_.” The raw pain in her voice and the new trail of tears made my heart feel like it was shredding. “When Kane reminded me…I took off and Ilian followed me. We got caught in the black rain and ended up in a cave to wait it out. He kept talking to me about his pain and I wished for pain in the moment, I wished for anything but the numbness that took over. That’s when I…”

She trailed off, averting her gaze.

“When you what?” _Silence._ “O!”

“I just wanted it to be over!” she sobbed. “I just wanted to feel something besides numbness. I wanted it to end.”

Was she saying…?

“O…”

“I walked into the rain, wanting the burn, wanting the pain, and _wanting my life to end._ But Ilian stopped me. He carried me from the rain and pinned me down. He wouldn’t let me kill myself.” She swiped at her cheek, rubbing the tear trails off. “I’m glad he didn’t let me.”

I pressed a kiss to her temple. “Me too, O. _Me too_.”


	6. Our Volunteer System Sucks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bellamy, Echo, Clarke, and Roan talk about what happened at the lab and the future of saving everyone in five days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting back to the S4 storyline.  
> This may or may not be the same as the future storyline of S4. This is what I'd like to see happen when Praimfaya comes.

**_Echo_ **

“Tell me about the nightblood,” Bellamy asked. Clarke, Roan, Bellamy, and I were sitting at a table in the throne room eating (well, picking at) our dinner.

Roan and Clarke sighed collectively. “It was a bust,” Clarke admitted. I frowned, no understanding her words. Bellamy, seeing my confusion, explained.

“She means it didn’t become what they expected. That it didn’t work.”

“It _would_ have,” Roan growled. Now I was intrigued.

_“Would have?”_

He nodded and looked at Clarke to explain, because like me, he didn’t understand the technology like Skaikru. “We tested a random person we found—don’t give me that look, Bellamy—and he didn’t make it when we put the radiation to the level that _Praimfaya_ will be. We found out the reason it didn’t work was because he had some medicine that prevented blood clots—the radiation broke it down, causing a chain reaction. We then ended up having to test someone else who didn’t have anything in their system and I ended up injecting myself.” _So, this girl is a **Natblida** now?_ “But…but my mom destroyed the machine.”

“Well, crap,” Bellamy hissed.

_That didn’t mean our fight was over._

“So we inject someone and when Praimfaya comes send them out. If they don’t return in a certain amount of time, then we know it doesn’t work. But if they _do_ , then we all don’t have to rot in that damn hole!”

“No!” Clarke yelled at me as if it was monstrous of me to even _think_ that.

I was this close to leaping across the table at the girl. Bellamy, sensing that, grabbed my arm and I completely froze at the touch. He calmed me in a way no one ever has before. I drew in a few deep breaths and tried again.

“I don’t mean playing _Russian Roulette_ with a random person. I’m not that heartless.” Roan grabbed Clarke before she could leap at me, she knew I was pointing fingers at her. “A volunteer. Someone who volunteers to be injected and go into the storm. Someone who knows the risks and the potential consequences.”

“And who would volunteer? When they learned of Praimfaya, more than half your army took off home and a decent chunk of the remaining army was slaughtered by Trikru. And there’s no way Trikru would volunteer, especially if they hear Azgeda wouldn’t. _And I will not risk my people!_ ” Clarke’s voice rose with each word. “Our volunteer system _sucks_. So please, Echo, find me a volunteer.”

“You want me to find a volunteer?” I asked, standing. Bellamy stood beside me since Clarke stood across from me.

“Yeah, I do.”

“Fine. **I** volunteer.”


	7. The Life of Echo pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Echo's Story

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **TRIGGER WARNING**  
> Severe physical and emotional abuse mentioned

**_Bellamy_ **

It was a shit show. Clarke and Roan told us what happened at the lab. _Damn you, Abby._

Then Echo spoke up. “So we inject someone and when Praimfaya comes send them out. If they don’t return in a certain amount of time, then we know it doesn’t work. But if they do, then we all don’t have to rot in that damn hole!”

“No!” Clarke shouted as if Echo’s suggestion was absurd. It wasn’t, it was far from it, but Clarke knew that. She just didn’t like Echo. And that annoyed me for some reason. I could see Echo tensing and I reached out to grab her arm to reassure her I guess. She looked at me and my heart began thumping so wildly I thought it might burst from my chest. She relaxed at last, taking calming breaths.

“I don’t mean playing _Russian Roulette_ with a random person. I’m not _that_ heartless.” _Damn it, Echo!_ Now wasn’t the time to try to get a rise out of Clarke. The blonde was already in a fiery mood. “A _volunteer,_ ” Echo snapped. “Someone who volunteers to be injected and go into the storm. Someone who knows the risks _and_ the potential consequences.”

“And who would volunteer? When they learned of Praimfaya, more than half your army took off home and a decent chunk of the remaining army was slaughtered by Trikru. And there’s no way Trikru would volunteer, especially if they hear Azgeda wouldn’t. And I will not risk my people!” Clarke’s voice rose with each word. “Our volunteer system _sucks_. So please, Echo, find me a volunteer.”

“You want me to find a volunteer?” she asked, standing. Clarke stood across from her and I was standing automatically, ready to either restrain her or throw myself in front of her. I never thought I’d see the day when I sided with someone against Clarke.

“Yeah, I do,” Clarke replied in a snarky tone.

_“Fine,”_ Echo straightened her back. “ ** _I_** volunteer.”

_Fear, desperation, sadness, anger._ I’d never felt more emotions at once for anyone besides Octavia.

*****************************************

“ _No_. Absolutely not.” Roan was shaking his head. He wouldn’t even let Echo explain herself. And I was secretly glad. I didn’t want her to be a guinea pig especially when there was a fifty-fifty shot of a painful and gruesome death.

“ _Ai Haihefa_ , we need someone. I can do that.”

“I said _no_ , Echo.”

“But—”

“You’re not expendable, Echo. You’re needed.”

“Don’t lie to me!” she screamed at her king and I held my breath.

“I’m not lying!” he raised his voice. “I am your king, you’re a _spy_. You have no right to yell at me, girl!”

She relaxed, which terrified me. “That’s more like it.”

And she walked away.

I looked at Roan and he looked completely defeated. “What just happened?”

“My mother is tormenting that girl from the grave.”

“What do you mean?”

He rubbed his forehead wearily. “It’s not my story to tell.” I turned from them and ran after Echo, hoping she hadn’t gotten far. I ignored the elevator, claiming down the shaft down as fast as humanly possible. I found her exiting the building.

“Echo!” She either didn’t hear me or she was ignoring me. My guess is the latter one. “ _Echo_ , wait!”

With a loud groan, she swung around, an unamused look on her always-serious face. “What do you want, Sky Boy?” _Sky Boy._ She only used that when she was trying to be detached.

“Talk to me.”

It’s all I wanted from her. I just wanted to talk, to find out what made her so cold and detached.

“I’ve got things to do.”

“Liar.” I grabbed her arm and dragged her—literally—to an empty room on the ground floor. She didn’t put up much of a fight though. I shut the door and sat on the bed, hoping she’d follow suit.

She did.

“What do you want to talk about?”

_“The queen.”_

**_Echo_ **

Horror. That’s all I felt when I heard his answer _. The Queen_. He wanted to know about Nia. How did he— _Roan_.

I swallowed hard. “What about her?”

“Your past with her.”

“I don’t know where to start,” I admitted.

He squeezed my hand. “From the beginning.”

I took a deep breath. “I was four when Nia acquired me. I don’t remember any of it, but Roan does. He told me what happened one day when I asked. My family, my parents apparently had three kids and one on the way. Many families in Northern Azgeda weren’t as lucky to have more than one or two child, let alone four healthy children. It’s so cold, the hunting is scarcer than other clans because of the ice and snow. My family was struggling, with three children and a pregnant woman. My father couldn’t hunt enough food to feed us and didn’t have anything to trade.

Nia, she heard of me. At four, I loved to play spy. I’ve always been good at it—hiding and appearing out of nowhere. Disappearing too. I was a holy terror according to Roan, loving to scare travelers. She herself went to my family home, took Roan with her to portray a loving family. Offered enough meat to last my family the entire winter and enough pelts to be able to trade for years and to make blankets from. All she wanted in exchange was me. Roan said my parents cried when they handed me over, and that I held his hand the entire ride home.

I try to picture my parents sometimes. Try to picture what my mother and father look like, what my older brother and younger sister and the baby look like. In my imagination, sometimes the baby is a boy, sometimes it’s a girl. I wish I could remember them. I kept saying that one day, I’d go find them. I’d go to northern Azgeda and ask around. I know my siblings names, I’d ask people and they’d tell me where they were and we’d be reunited and happy. I told myself for years I would. But I never did.”

I sniffed and fought the tears. _This was so freaking hard!_

“The first few years were okay. I had Roan and Ontari. The best year was when I was ten. Nia had to travel a lot due to new alliances and, even though she didn’t get along with them, she sent the three of us to Trikru for the summer. Anya and Indra were known as some of the best warriors and Nia knew they would keep us in shape. If Roan would be king one day, if I would be a great spy one day, if Ontari would be Commander one day, we had to know more than just the icy Azgeda. She said we needed skills for other clans—whether it be for traveling, war, spying. We needed to move through the forest silently, be able to climb tree, be able to swim, be able to fight, be able to get a read of other people’s ways.

That summer, Roan was twelve, I was ten, and Ontari was six. That was before Nia corrupted her. Ontari was one of the sweetest, most innocent children in the world and Nia _ruined_ her. Watching Ontari break when she grew up was the beginning of the end, I just didn’t know it then. But I’m getting ahead of myself. That summer, we had the time of our lives. We made four best friends—Nyko and Lincoln who were both twelve, and Lexa and Costia who were both nine. Ontari latched herself onto Lexa and I became good friends with both Costia and Lincoln. We learned to run silently through the woods, to climb and jump tree to tree, to swim above and under water, to make fires and hunt with a bow and arrow, to fight and eat dirt for the first time.

Nia came and took us back. I guess it didn’t go well, because she was crueler than before. We never saw those four again. I remember one time Nia was in the worse mood and locked us in our rooms for an entire _week_. She let us out and Ontari was a bundle of energy and was running around and playing with a staff. Nia had some weird animal head—I think she called it a _dragon_ —made of clay on the wall, and Ontari hit it, knocking it down and it shattered. I heard the shatter and ran to see what happened. She was crying and begging me to help her. She was _six years old_ and crying because she didn’t want to get a beating, it took everything in me to calm her down and tell her to stop crying—Nia hated weakness and would give us beatings if we cried, and if we cried during a beating she wouldn’t stop until we stopped. Nia and two guards came and asked—no, demanded—what happened. I was terrified what Nia would do to that little girl, she was my sister and I needed to protect her. So I told the Ice Bitch that I did it. I knew when her icy blue eyes didn’t leave mine and through gritted teeth she told Ontari to go play outside that I was in so much trouble. She didn’t want to leave me, but we both knew if she told Nia she did it than we’d both get a beating—her for doing it and me for trying to take the blame. Nia dragged me to the room that us kids named ‘the torture room’ since our blood decorated the floor.”

**_Bellamy_ **

Tears began rolling down her cheeks and I knew we had just got to a really emotional part of the story. She let me pull her onto my lap and cradle her. It took her a while to calm enough to continue her story.

“It was the most physically painful day of my childhood. I’m not gonna tell you the gory details, it’s too painful to think about. One moment I was in excruciating pain, and the next it was nighttime and I woke up in my bed, too sore to move, throat raw from screaming and begging, and face rough from all the tears. Ontari was curled up against my front, her face tearstained.

When I turned fourteen, Nia really cracked down on training. I stopped my frequent walks and sparring with Roan, I stopped spending all my time with Ontari. I was too tired to tell her stories before bed. That’s the thing I regret most. If I had been there for her, then maybe—just maybe—she shouldn’t have been turned into a heartless murderer. If I had been there for her, she would be alive right now. I began training more and more—sparring, traveling through all twelve clans, spying. I became her secret weapon. That’s what I was, _a_ _weapon_.

When I was seventeen, she sent me on my last real mission. She wanted me to spy on the mountain.”

I closed my eyes. I knew where this was going.

“Roan and Ontari begged her not to make me go. They told her that it was too dangerous. She just looked at me, her cold, heartless eyes, and told me ‘you’re just a spy, dear, you’re expendable. If I need to I can get a new you.’ I took my bow and arrow and went. They came out of nowhere, five of them. I took out three before they shot something in my neck that knocked me right out. I woke up in the cage inside the mountain. I tried for days to get out. After the first time they bled me, I gave up. I was in the mountain for nearly two years. And then I met you. And you know the rest. How you escaped and came back for me, how three months later, Nia made me lead you from Mount Weather to start a war. The City of Light, your sister, and Praimfaya.”

She looked up at me, for the first time since I met her complete trust in those beautiful brown eyes. “You wanted my story, and now you know it. The story of how the Ice Queen turned a four year old girl into a cold blooded killer. But I think it’s time I make a new story—for me to become someone other than the Queen’s spy. Don’t you?”

I was stunned. It was so much to take in, so much to process.

And it hit me all at once. This wasn’t just a scary story.

_It was Echo’s life._

“Echo?”

“Hmm?”

“Let’s do it.”

She turned to me, a puzzled look on her face. “Do _what?_ ”

“Find your family.”

“No, I…Bellamy, I can’t!”

_Can’t? Or won’t?_

“There five days left, this might be your last chance. We can find them and bring them back with us! You can have a family again!”

“Bellamy…what if they don’t remember me? I don’t remember them.”

“They didn’t go through what you did, they wouldn’t forget their child. I’ll bet they regretted giving you away the moment they did.”

She nodded slowly. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

I smiled and stood, pulling her up with me. “What’s your sibling’s names?”

 “Donovan and Lily. Donovan would be twenty-one and Lily would be seventeen. The baby would be fifteen.”

I had a purpose right now. I _will_ find Echo’s family, and I _will_ reunite her with them. And if finding them causes her to leave me completely to be with them? Then that was a price I’m willing to pay for her happiness.


	8. The Life of Echo pt. 2

**_Bellamy_ **

It was roughly a six hour drive from Polis to Azgeda, another three hours to get to the northern woods. We had been on the road for three, and the silence was killing me. She was uncomfortable in the rover that much was clear. Maybe small talk would distract the both of us.

“Do you remember when you asked me if we could ever trust each other again?” I asked her, hoping my question wouldn’t backfire.

“You told me that you doubt it,” she said in a sad tone.

“I trust you, Echo.”

Since we were on a straight path, I dared to look at her. She met my gaze with those beautiful brown eyes. “Liar,” she whispered. My breath caught in my throat and I had a strong desire to kiss her, but we were on the road about to reconnect with her long lost family and we still had Praimfaya to deal with.

Should I try to make it work before Praimfaya? _But if one of us die, would it be worth it?_

Should we wait and hope for us to survive? _But if one of us die, would we forever regret it?_

I’d rather have something that was worth every minute than regret never having it. The only question was if Echo felt the same way. And when I glanced at her and found her staring at me with that look, I knew the answer.

************

“Are we close?”

The ground was becoming icy and snow was gently falling.

“Northern Azgeda. Maybe another hour or so,” she responded. “Nia sent me on plenty of missions in Northern Azgeda.”

“But you never looked for them?”

“No…I wanted to, but I guess I was too afraid. Afraid that they didn’t want me, afraid of Nia finding out.”

I reached my hand out and took her hand in mine. I was half expecting her to jerk away, but I knew we had long moved past that. “I’m here for you.”

“Thank you, Bellamy.”

We fell into a comfortable silence, her hand in mine. I only took my hand back once the snow on the ground became deep and slippery. I needed full control of the rover.

“Are you still nervous?”

“More, now that we’re closer.”

“They’ll love you, Echo.”

“If they even _remember_ me.”

We drove for another hour when we reached a small village. Villagers exited their huts when the rover drove into the center of it. Many of them were thin, pale, and blue lips, bundled up in layers and blankets. We hopped out, my hand holding my gun, Echo gripping her bow.

“Skaikru,” an older man hissed, pulling a knife out of his coat, “are not welcome here.”

I held my rifle up in surrender and placed it on the ground. I put my hands up to show that I was no threat.

“My son was killed by Skaikru guns. He was found at the border with a bullet wound in her chest and his horse taken. Here in Azgeda, it’s death to Skaikru!”

Echo stepped forward. “King Roan has an alliance with Skaikru!”

“And who are you, girl?” he turned back to me, not giving Echo as much as a glance, and went to throw the knife at me. Echo drew back the quiver of her bow.

“Drop the knife or you die.”

He turned to her. “Maybe I should just kill you instead, girl.”

“No!” I yelled. “Leave her alone! Echo, stand down!”

A woman pushed through the crowd frantically. “ _Echo?_ ”

Echo nearly dropped her bow. _“Nomon?”_

**_Echo_ **

It all came back to me in a flash, the second I saw her. All the memories long forgotten thanks to Nia returned. My mother, younger and less drained than she was now, with braids in her sandy brown hair—the same as mine. Her voice as she told me the same stories I read to Ontari. Her growing belly, how she put my little hand on her belly to feel the baby kick.

My father, with his thick black hair and the beginning of a beard. How his blue eyes lit up when I found him in hide and seek. His callused hand in mine when he brought me hunting.

My brother, Donovan, who was six. His straight dark brown hair and how it flopped in his eyes. He didn’t want it long, but he didn’t want to cut it. His mischievous brown eyes when we played spy. His freckles that covered his nose.

Lily, who was only two. Her hair, a pale blonde, in its braids like Ontari had, her eyes so blue like the lilies she was named after. Her laugh, how we played dolls and I read her the stories that mother read me. Although Ontari had dark brown braids and brown eyes, she reminded me so much of Lily, I just didn’t know it.

_I remembered._

Arms were suddenly around me, holding me close. Everything inside me screamed to claw my way out of it. Bellamy, knowing me well by now, sensed that and interrupted.

“She’s overwhelmed right now. This was big for her—to come look for you.”

She released me and took a step back but kept her hands on my shoulders. “You came to find us?”

I nodded, not able to find my voice.

“I’m so glad. Wait until your father and brothers and sister find out!”

“Brothers…and sisters?” last thing I knew, I had a brother and sister and one on the way.

“Oh yes. We’ve been hoping for a very long time you’d find us…especially since we couldn’t find you. But we’ll talk about that after dinner, you must come.” She looked over my shoulder. “You, too! What’s your name?”

“Bellamy.”

We began the walk to her home, and I realized I recognized the path we were taking. They had been here, all along. These past fifteen years they never left. When the familiar home came into sight, panic rose in my chest. I reached out and found Bellamy’s hand. He gave me a reassuring squeeze. I was beyond grateful to him.

She opened the door, leading us inside. A man sat in a chair, whittling a wooden figurine. His face was weary and wrinkled and beard much longer, but he was definitely the man from my memories. This was my father.

“Where are the children?” she asked him.

He didn’t even look up at her. His voice was gruff when he responded. “Don and Lily said something about hunting. Mycah is out training. River is playing in her room.”

“Do you know then they’ll get back?”

“No. Why would you care? Those three older ones are always gone until dinnertime anyways.”

I flinched at the tone. _Some happy family this is_.

Just then, a little girl around six or seven appeared out of a room and walked over to us. She stopped just in front of us and looked up at me and then at Bellamy. “Who are you? We _never_ have visitors.”

“River, this is Echo…your sister.”

The sound of a chair scraping on the floor brought our attention back to the man. He was standing now, staring at me with wide, disbelieving eyes. He walked towards us slowly, as if he was scared we—no, **_I_** —would disappear. I was prepared for it this time, when he grabbed me in a bone-crushing hug. I never released Bellamy’s hand.

“Thank you,” my father whispered, looking up towards the heavens.

*********************************************************

Donovan and Lily returned together. Donovan remembered. He thanked some unknown as he hugged me. Lily only remembered what she was told, stories, possibly a vague memory. She hugged me with tears rolling down her cheeks.

They were a lot like a remembered. Donavon was tall and muscular, a skilled warrior. His black hair flopped in his eyes, his brown eyes spirited. Lily had the same pale hair, barely passing her shoulders and intricately braided. Her eyes were as blue as I remembered.

The boy, Mycah, who was fifteen now, came in later. He had dark brown hair that went to his chin, tucked behind his ears, and bright blue eyes. He was holding a blood-stained arm. “Adyra got me. Girl has a goddamn temper.” He froze when he saw me and Bellamy. “Who the hell are you?”

_Damn._

Lily scoffed at him. “Is that the way to talk to your big sister?”

“ _Sister Ah!_ That’s why I thought you looked like River.” He nodded. “Nice to finally meet you. Because you know, I never got to. But, if you’ll excuse me, I need to fix what my girl did to me.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. Bellamy gave me a pointed look, because we both know that one day that might be him. And also why he he’d probably never learn how to fight without a gun.

“Hey,” Mycah called. “Are you guys _together?_ ”

“No,” we both said. Our eyes met. _Not yet_.

*******************************************************

Dinner was quiet and peaceful. Father had hunted a white bear, one of my favorites. As long as it wasn’t the snow cat.

“You said…” I began, not sure where to go from there. Bellamy squeezed my hand under the table. “You said that you had something to talk about at dinner?”

My mother smiled at me. “Yes, I did. River, why don’t you go play in your room?”

 The girl rolled her eyes but obeyed. Once the child was out of the room, she took everyone’s empty plates and placed them in a bin and sat back down.

“Let’s start at the beginning. Back to the day you left. It was the harshest winter of them all. We had nothing to trade, not enough animals to hunt, and not enough clothes to keep us warm. Your father,” she looked at him, “he was hunting all the time but could rarely find anything. It was just _so_ cold. Donovan, Lily, and you were all complaining you were cold. But that didn’t stop you and Don from taking off and sneaking around. The two of you loved to scare travelers. I was pregnant with Mycah and I was always sick on top of it.

The Queen and her son, just a few years older than you were, showed up one day. She had so much meat, most of it seasoned and dried, and enough furs for us to have to keep us warm and to trade. Enough to last us the entire winter and then some. We were so happy, until she named her price. _She wanted you_. I offered her the unborn baby, for her to raise a child instead of taking you, only four years old but already knowing your family and home. It would hurt to give up the baby, but it would hurt more giving up the child we raised and loved for four years. But she insisted that we gave her you or no deal. She only gave us the night to think it over.

That night we talked and we cried, and you came into our room and asked why we crying. We told you…we told you that we had a big decision to make and you looked at us, took my hand, and told us ‘it’ll be okay.’ You knew. You were so young, but you knew.” The silent tears rolling down her face turned to sobs. I could no longer hold back the tears filling up in my eyes. Bellamy saw this and squeezed my hand comfortingly. My father cleared his throat and continued for her.

“It was the hardest decision we ever made. That morning when the queen returned, we had your clothes in a bag and had given you your favorite breakfast. We kissed you and told you that you were going to go spend some time with the queen’s son. You smiled at us before you climbed into the wagon. You were holding hands with the boy as the wagon rolled away. We regretted it almost immediately.

We tried so many times to see you, but the queen kept saying you had forgotten and that seeing you seeing us would upset you. The queen took care of us for a many winters, but eventually she stopped. We went to the castle, because we had a deal. She would make sure the other children wouldn’t suffer until the youngest one was grown. You would have been ten when she stopped. We went to the castle and told her that she had to honor her deal or return you. We had not sacrificed you for nothing. She told us…she told us that you were dead.

We were leaving when we saw a little girl, who looked about Mycah’s age at the time. She was a beautiful child, with two braids and the brightest brown eyes. We asked if she knew you and she _laughed_ and said that you…she said that you were her _sister_. We asked how…how you died and the girl looked at me like I’d lost my mind. She said ‘she’s not dead! She training right now! I know she’s not dead because she reads me stories every night and _never_ misses a night.’ she was so sure and I believed the child. We left, but with hope that maybe—just maybe—the little girl told you about the two strangers looking for you and that one day you’d come find us. I never asked for the little girl’s name…”

“Ontari,” I whispered. “Her name was Ontari.”

“Was?”

It was my turn to sob. “I failed her. She was my baby sister and I failed her. She’s dead. Dead because I couldn’t protect her. Dead because I let Nia hurt her. I let Nia turn her into a monster, and she’s dead because of it. I could’ve saved her. I could’ve…I could’ve just never missed a bedtime story. I missed them, I stopped reading to her, I stopped giving her hope, I stopped telling her I loved her. I was hurting and instead of holding onto my sister, I pushed her away. And Nia sunk her claws into her and by the time I came around to help her, it was too late. She was too far gone to save. And she died because of it. She was the most beautiful, innocent, purest child in the entire world, and she died. My sister died long before Ontari did. Ontari wasn’t the sister I knew when she died, no I lost her long before that. _I lost her. Or maybe she lost me_.”

*********************************************

We were all exhausted, physically and emotionally. River would stay with my parents and Bellamy and I would get River’s room for the night.  

“Why don’t you stay a few days?” my mother sked hopefully.

I suddenly remembered the reason we came. “We can’t. We have to leave first thing in the morning,” I told them. I hesitated. I looked at Bellamy for help. By this point he could pretty much read my mind.

“We came here today for a reason. Praimfaya,” he told them. Both of their eyes widened. “It’s coming in four days. There’s a bunker, it can only fit so many people, so we came to find you. And hopefully…you’ll all come and you can have a family with Echo, in the bunker.”

“I’ll have you’re siblings pack first thing in the morning,” father aid with no hesitation. Echo looked at me, hope in her usually weary eyes.

They pointed us to River’s room and we headed there. We both got into the bed. It was bodies pressed together but neither of us seemed to care.

We had a long day tomorrow.


	9. We Should Probably Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're finally getting somewhere!

**_Bellamy_ **

We arrived back in Polis late the next afternoon. Roan was speaking with Echo’s family and showing them the bunker. Echo and I were walking through the streets in comfortable silence, no destination and no plan. We were just walking.

“Thank you,” she said so quietly that I barely heard her.

“It was nothing,” I shrugged. I’d do anything for her.

“No,” she stopped, grabbing my arm. “It meant _a lot_ , Bellamy. Probably the nicest thing anyone’s ever done for me.” Her eyes were sincere, burning into me.

 _Electricity._ That’s what I felt when I was around her. It was stronger when she touches me, like right now with her hand resting against my arm.

We were growing closer, that much was clear. Growing closer when she spared Riley’s life, growing closer when I defended her against Trikru, growing closer when we agreed to fake a relationship, growing closer when she told me her story, growing closer when we went to find her family, growing closer as we laid in the bed together last night, cuddling and oblivious to the world around us.

 _Yes,_ we were growing closer. And we should probably talk because we had to face the facts: we had feelings for each other. I might even love her.

“Echo, we should probably talk about this.”

She eyed me. “Talk about what?”

“You know damn well what we need to talk about.”

She groaned. “Do we have to?”

I chuckled at her. “Yes we do.”

She rolled her eyes but started back towards the tower. “We can speak in my room. I’m not doing this out here.”

“There’s nobody around.”

She shrugged. “Don’t care.”

_I’ll never understand girls._

****

**_Echo_ **

He wanted to talk. _No,_ he wanted to talk about _feelings_ and _emotions_. The two things I’m not good at, the two things I don’t even know about. Nia made sure of that. I’m feelings things I don’t understand and it’s scary, it is. I know how to be a cold, fierce, unfeeling warrior and spy. Not how to be somebody’s lover.

_How do I deal with emotions if I don’t understand them?_

The lift brought us up the many levels to the top floor. I led him down to my room, the room right next to the commander’s—or Roan’s now—quarters. I sat on the bed, arms folding. He sat beside me with an amused look.

“You’re cute when you pout,” he blurted out.

“I don’t pout!” I whined. _Crap_.

He _laughed_ at me. I glared at him and he put his hands up in mock surrender. “Okay, I’m sorry.”

We sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes. Then he ruined it.

“Okay, we really do have to talk.”

“Why? Why can’t we just…I don’t know, just keep going on like we’ve been?”

He met my gaze with such intensity. “Is that what you want? To just go back to the way things were?”

It took me a moment to find my voice. “No.”

He moved closer. “Then what do you want?”

He was close enough I could feel his breath on my face. Every cell in my body was tingling. I wanted him. I didn’t know to reply to him, so I did the next best thing: I showed him what I wanted.

I leaned in and my lips met his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote and re-wrote their first kiss over and over again, some were similar to how it went, some was the full effect. I decided to go with this way, simple and sweet and not everdone. The effects and thoughts will be in the next chapter!


	10. Emotions Long Forgotten

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry for disappearing! I hit a major case of writer's block, but I'm back and hopefully will be returning with weekly updates

**_Bellamy_ **

Her lips met mine and it felt so right. Although she was a tough warrior, her lips were soft and warm. I kissed her back without pause. I didn’t want this to ever end. _Never_. I kept my lips locked to hers, my tongue begging entrance into her mouth. With a soft sigh and allowed.

_We couldn’t go too far._

I gave her one last kiss before pulling away. She looked slightly upset when I pulled away, but she also knew why. If we were going to do this, we were going to do it the right way. I wanted a good relationship, not just a physical one.

And I know she feels the same way.

“I don’t how to do this,” she admitted in a quiet voice.

I gave her a sad smile, pulling her close to me. “I know. We’ll figure this out, together. One day at a time, Echo, moving forward every day.”

She was quiet for a long while, leaning against me, her head resting on my shoulder and her breath on my neck. “What are we?”

I frowned in confusion.

“Our people would call us… _lovers_ , but that isn’t what we are, is it? This feels…more _meaningful_ than that.”

“My people would call you my, um…” I hesitated, not because I doubted my relationship with her, but because I didn’t want to further overwhelm her. “They’d call you my girlfriend. Not like a girl that’s a friend, um…a girlfriend is a girl who’s n a relationship with someone, and they are very important to the person they’re with, and there’s strong feelings, sometimes love involved.”

She pulled back and looked at me, her brown eyes serious.

“I think I might be…no, I know I’m falling in love with you, Bellamy kom Skaikru.”

I smiled, those words warming my heart. I truly loved this girl.

“I’m falling in love with you too, Echo kom Azgeda.”

***********************************************************

**_Echo_ **

“It’s quite amazing down here.”

I looked around in wonder. Of course, once this view was the only view I’d have for five years, it’d get old real fast. But I was going to appreciate it for right now. There were underground farms and water filters, which Bellamy called it. I didn’t quite understand the terms. Enough to support 1200 people, and three clans were splitting the space. Azgeda, Skaikru and Trikru. Four hundred slots each.

Azgeda was the least happy, being the largest of the three. Especially when Skaikru argued that they had only four hundred eighty people and that Azgeda and Trikru should both have 40 less slots than Skaikru. Roan settled it quickly. He was having me move in early with Bellamy in case Skaikru tried to play dirty.

One of the guards apparently in charge of directing people to where they belong frowned when Bellamy led me over.

“Our living space is level one. _Grounders,_ ” he sneered, “are in the other two.”

Bellamy glared at him. “Let me correct that. Skaikru is level one, Trikru is level 2, and Azgeda is level three. The other levels hold other necessities.”

“ _Skaikru?_ We are nothing like those savages, _Bellamy!_ We are Arkers, they are the Grounders.”

I tried to pull from Bellamy to lunge at him, but I stopped myself. If I attacked this man, then I’d be the savage he claimed I was. So I just let Bellamy shield me.

“Well, _Richards,_ we’re going to be spending five years in here with those so-called savages, so get used to it.”

The man, Richards, glared at him, and then his gaze shifted to me. I shuddered at the cruelness of his look. He didn’t scare me, not really, but the pure hatred in his look made me worried he’d do something to my people…to _our_ people. Bellamy looked at me, and he gave me a shared look.

“You better watch your tongue, Richard. While they might not be savages, they won’t hesitate to cut your tongue out.”

He took my hand, leading me away from the man.

“Hey, Bellamy! After your done fucking the grounder I’d love a turn! She looks like she’d be real fun—”

He was cut off by Bellamy’s hands around his throat, knocking him to the ground. I watched in fear and horror.

“Bellamy!” I was frozen, unable to move, to stop him. _Don’t become a murderer,_ I desperately thought. _Not because of me. Please!_ “Bellamy, don’t!” I tried again. “Please!”

He hesitated before releasing the man. Richards pulled away, coughing and holding his swollen throat. “Don’t you ever talk about her, or any woman, like that again. Ever! If I ever hear it, I can promise I won’t be releasing you until your dead and that’s a promise.”

He stood up, walking over and silently taking my hand and leading me away. “There’s three options,” he said in a clipped tone. “You can stay in Azgeda level and I can stay in Skaikru is option one. We can both stay in Azgeda is option two. And option three is we both stay in Skaikru.”

I didn’t care, not as long as we were together. “Whichever you’re most comfortable, Bellamy. I don’t mind. As long…I prefer the second two options.”

He smiled softly at me. “Me too. I vote we both get our own rooms and just take turns over which room we stay in.”

I nodded. “That works for me.”

“I’ll head to Skaikru and you head to Azgeda. Let’s say in twenty minutes I’ll find you in Azgeda?”

I nodded. “Twenty minutes.”

He moved closer, resting his hands on my lower back. He leaned in, capturing my lips in his own. I hummed in content. He pulled back and gave me his best and most adorable smile.

“I love you, _Echo kom Azgeda_.”

The sound of those three words warmed my heart. I couldn’t contain the big smile. “I love you too, _Bellamy Blake_.”


	11. Beware the Dark

**_Echo_ **

“We should probably get up soon,” Bellamy said softly. But he made no attempt to move.

We ended up in my bed in Azgeda and for the first time in a long time, I slept very peacefully. When we woke up, his front was pressed against my back, his arm lazily hugging my stomach, his face buried in my hair. We hadn’t moved out of position since.

“No,” I replied. “Just a little longer.”

He chuckled, his breath tickling the back of my neck. “You said that half an hour ago, and a half hour ago before that.”

I pouted, refusing to move. He sighed.

“Ten more minutes. And not a minute longer. As much as I miss cuddling with you, there’s two days until Praimfaya and there’s much to do.”

I sighed, knowing he was very right.

“Fine. Just ten more minutes.”

************************************************************

**_Bellamy_ **

“Bellamy, there you are.” Kane approached us. “You’re up a lot later than usual.”

I gave Echo a pointed look. Ten minutes turned into another hour. If she had it her way, she would never get out of bed. She just smiled at me innocently.

Kane cleared his throat, getting my attention back. “We have some more preparations to make. We chose our four hundred but we still have to deal with the unrest of those not chosen. We want you on that group.”

I nodded. “What about Echo?”

“She’ll stay here,” another voice responded. King Roan walked over to us. “We’re moving the rest of our people in. Echo’s seen enough to lead them to their floor and help them get settled and hopefully answer at least some questions, and to be able to reassure some of them.”

Echo nodded. Roan knew how to place people. Not only was staying in safest for her, it gave her one of the most important roles of the day. Something she thrived for. I gave her a quick kiss before Kane led me away.

There were eighty people being left out for Praimfaya to claim. Children, so those under eighteen, got automatic slots, one parent of each child and essential personnel also got automatic slots. The rest was done by a random lottery, the fairest way thought up. Those not chosen were unhappy and were calling for Grounder blood. A perfect reason why Echo and Roan were staying safe in the bunker.

“Bellamy!” my sister ran over to me, panting, not used to the suit she was in. “Hurry, some Skaikru just started a fight with Trikru. Trikru heading to the bunker for moving in. It’s looking pretty ugly.”

I nodded and picked up a run after her, Kane following closely. When I saw the group, I picked up speed. The Skaikru who were thrown out were fighting Trikru, and getting beat. Badly. There was nothing keeping the chosen Trikru from getting to their safe zone.

“Hey! Break it up!”

Octavia drew her sword and I grabbed my gun. Kane begged, but they didn’t seem to want to listen to Kane’s reason. They were going to die anyways, but the Trikru they were attacking weren’t. There was only one way to fix this…

*******************************************************

**_Echo_ **

It was draining, emotionally at least. Answering question after question, leading group by group to the third level. _How long do we have to stay here? What will we eat? Where will we get our water? Is Skaikru in charge of us all? How will we survive?_

I answered them all a hundred times throughout the day. _At least five years, food from the farms—no, I don’t know what kind, filtered water—no, I don’t know what that means exactly, no—Roan, Kane, and Indra will co-lead as the leaders of each clan, we’ll take it one day at a time_.

Bellamy was due to return soon. The radiation would be getting bad by the minute, which is why all the clans were rushing to get in. Bellamy was in a suit, but that didn’t make me any less worried. I paced around the meeting room, where people first come in, waiting for his return.

_The lights went off. Beware the dark. You cannot see your enemy, but you can hear them._

I heard footsteps and listened carefully. They were awfully close. Every instinct in me told me to fight. Before I had a chance, a hand pressed over my mouth and nose tightly. I tried to yell, to fight, but he had a cloth that burned my nose and throat. And I felt so dizzy.

_Why did I feel so diz…?_


	12. Kom Folau...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry I disappeared for a while! And disappeared on that awful cliffhanger. I went on a major case of writer's block. But here's a long(ish) chapter to try to make up for it

**_Bellamy_ **

I frowned when I found her— _our_ —room empty. All of the Azgeda citizens were long situated. Roan must have given her another job.

I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that something was wrong as I headed to find the king. It was unlike her to take a night job and not have someone tell me so I wouldn’t worry. I mean, we’ve only been together a short time, but she was an efficient girl and thinks of every scenario, so she wouldn’t leave me in the dark.

 _She’s fine,_ I told myself. _Today was a crazy day for everyone, she forgot to let me know. She has to be okay_.

“Roan!” I spotted the king up ahead, deep in conversation with my sister, Indra and Kane. I picked up my pace.

Their conversation halted and they turned to me, frowning at my very apparent distress.

“Is Echo giving you a hard time?” Roan asked in slight amusement.

“That depends. Where is she?” I asked earnestly.

It was Roan’s turn to frown. “She isn’t in her quarters? I set her free from duty hour ago. She said she was going to wait for you in her quarters.”

Panic rose in my chest. “She isn’t there, it doesn’t look like she’s been there since this morning…”

Roan growled. “Is any of her belongings missing? Or is there any chance of her being with her parents?”

“Her bow and arrows were against the wall and her coat on the bed where she left it this morning. Is there any chance she’d go to her parents at a time like this without leaving a note or telling anyone?”

Roan swore. “It’s worth a shot. Let’s go look.”

**_Echo_ **

The first thing I heard when I woke up was footsteps and a man’s voice muttering in the background. The first thing I was aware of was that I was captive. As royal guard and a spy, I knew well enough to pretend I was still out cold. I kept my breathing even and stayed still.

I was lying on the ground, stone and cold and slightly damp, all of that telling me I wasn’t in the bunker.

My hands and feet were bound with sloppily knotted ropes, ropes that were burning into the skin.

I was blindfolded, the feeling of sweaty leather rubbing over my eyes.

And a scratchy fabric was in my mouth, pinches the corners, leaving my mouth slightly open and dry.

And then came the realization that I felt the cold ground because I was only in underwear and my thin tank top. Which told me one thing: I was not in the bunker, if I was in the bunker they wouldn’t need my clothes or weapons.

Every cell in my body screamed at me to fight. But I knew it was pointless. If I fought now, bound and blindfolded, then my fate would be sealed. I had to bride my time. And I hoped, oh how I hoped, that Bellamy would rescue me.

But one thing I learned from Nia was that when it counted, the only person I could truly rely on was _myself_. And that’s one of the few things that Nia said that was true.

**_Bellamy_ **

Roan and I searched the bunker, every inch of it. We spent—no, we _wasted,_ several hours searching.

The cold, gut-wrenching realization came upon me: _she wasn’t here_.

“She wouldn’t have taken off, not this close to Praimfaya,” I said, maybe to myself, maybe to Roan, maybe to nobody.

“No, she wouldn’t,” Roan agreed.

Octavia sighed from beside us. “That means, what? She was taken? Someone abducted her from the bunker?”

I shook my head wearily. Roan looked just as confused and devastated as me. “Who would do that to her?”

Ilian spoke up for the first time of the day. I almost forgot he was with us. “Maybe…maybe it wasn’t to hurt her. Stop thinking about our enemies and think about _yours_ , Bellamy. Is there anyone you pissed off recently that would hurt or kill her to hurt you?”

I felt dizzy at the word _kill_. _No, she was fine. She had to be_.

“I don’t…”

“Bell, think!” Octavia snapped anxiously. “Who would want to hurt either of you?”

I tried to think. Every thought kept going back to one moment. Just one. Richards, with the look of pure hatred to me and Echo. Richards, with his comments about Echo. Richards, with my hands around his throat. Richards, with his eyes hungry for revenge.

“I did this…it’s my fault…he did this to her…”

 _“Who?”_ Roan grabbed my shoulders, shaking me roughly. “Who has her?”

“Richards.”

**_Echo_ **

It was just the one. I could tell it was a man from the way he picked me up and held me uncaringly, carrying me to an unknown destination, tossing me on the hard wooden floor. A woman wasn’t strong enough to carry me or throw me like that.

The impact of hitting the floor caused me to cough and gasp as the wind was knocked out of my lungs.

“Rise and shine, bitch.” I felt a toe hit my side harshly before the gag and blindfold was ripped away.

I knew him. He was the man who had threatened my people, the man Bellamy tried to kill. This was his revenge. He pulled me up in a sitting positon, slamming my back and my bound hands into the wall. I felt and heard the crush of my hands smashed between my back and the wall. I refused to scream in pain, to satisfy him. His face turned red, unhappy with my quietness.

“Bellamy loves you, doesn’t he?” he asked, squatting in front of me, awkwardly due to the suit he was wearing.

When I didn’t respond, his fist connected with my face. I blinked, trying to rid the pain from my left eye.

“Answer me. He loves you, doesn’t he?”

It took three more punches and a kick to my stomach for me to finally respond. “Yes,” I whispered through a mouth full of blood.

“I don’t particularly like you, but I didn’t want to kill you. But him? Your death, it will destroy him. And with just over a day until the death wave, he wouldn’t dare come out here.” He reached out, brushing a damp strand of hair off my forehead. “You aren’t feeling well, are you? The death wave is close, you’re feeling to affects. You’re pale, hot, sweaty. Soon, your skin will start blistering. You’ll vomit. When the death wave arrives, your skin will melt off your body and your bones will incinerate. There will be no evidence that you ever existed. And that, that will kill Bellamy.”

I started shaking when he described the death I was facing. But the panic in my chest, it wasn’t because I was going to die. It was that Bellamy would have to live with that for years, he’d never get to say goodbye, and wouldn’t get closure. Could he live with that? _Would_ he live with that? Was Octavia be enough to keep him alive?

He kicked me, hard, in the stomach, leaving me doubled over and choking on my own blood. He gave me one last, cruel smile before walking away. “I’d normally say _‘may we meet again,’_ but I know we won’t.”

And then he was gone.

**_Bellamy_ **

“Bellamy, you can’t go out there? The death wave is too close!” Kane argued. “You’ll never find her and you’ll both die!”

“I won’t let her die, Kane. And if she does, well, I don’t want to be alive without her!”

I broke my sister’s heart, I know I did. But she understands, she does. Echo is to me what Lincoln was to her. I had other girls before. Gina was my Ilian, she just came first. Echo, she’s the love of my life. The center of my universe, after O of course.

“Take me with you, Bell,” she pleaded. “I know this city better than you. And I know that creep as well.”

After a long moment of silence, I nodded. If I was going to die today, it would be by my sister’s side.

“Suit up, O.”

******

We’d been out searching for hours with no luck. We were hot and tired and most of all frustrated. “She has to be somewhere! We have to find her!”

Octavia sighed beside me. “Bell?” her voice shook with tears. “Bell, we have to head back.”

I turned to her. “What?”

“Bell…I’m pregnant. If I die…the baby dies. It’s Lincoln’s baby, Bell. It’s Lincoln’s.”

I froze. Octavia… _pregnant?_ “It’s Lincoln’s?”

She nodded, a single tear training down her cheek. “It’s the only thing left of him. And he or she needs their uncle.”

“O…if we go back, then she dies. And I’ll never know what happened to her, and I won’t have anything left of hers besides her clothes, which with time will lose their scent and meaning and all they’ll be is rags that once belonged to someone I once knew. Someone I loved. Someone who would in time fade into a distant memory of a time on the ground. If you could have saved Lincoln…would you have? If you could have died trying to save him, would you?”

She didn’t say anything, but I knew. She cares for Ilian, she might even love him, but she’ll always love Lincoln more, she’ll always long for him. For one last kiss, one last touch, one last goodbye. She didn’t have it in her to deny me of that.

“Bell…look,” she pointed over my shoulder. I turned to see Richards heading our way. All I saw was red.

I ran over to him, knocking him to the ground. I barely heard Octavia’s scream. “Where is she, you bastard? What did you do to her!”

He just laughed, a cold and heartless laugh that sent shills down my spine. “You’ll never find the girl in time, if she’s even still alive. She has no suit and no doctor.”

_No suit…no doctor._

“What did you do? Where is she _? Tell me!_ ”

He laughed again. I wanted to hit him, to hurt him, to make him bring me to her. But I was paralyzed to the spot. Octavia wasn’t. She pushed me out of the way and ripped his helmet off. He gasped as the radioactive air hit his lungs.

“Where is Echo?” she demanded. She pulled out a knife, solely cutting his throat, pushing it deeper by the second. “Tell us now or I swear I’ll remove your clothes and nail you into the wall where Praimfaya will claim your life, and you’ll watch it happen until you’re nothing but a pile of dust!”

Richards sobbed, “The old barn! She’s in the loft of the old barn!”

She decapitated him quickly, watching his blood spill, spreading over the stone ground. She removed his hazmat suit, picking it up in her arms along with the helmet.

“Let’s go save your girl.”

We reached the barn in minutes, climbing the ladder so fast we both nearly fell. I looked around, sighing in both relief and distress when I saw her lifeless body.

“Echo!”

I ran over to her, Octavia on my heels. “Echo!”

Octavia quickly cut the binds on her wrists and ankles. She wasn’t looking good. She was pale, too pale, and feverish. Her left eye was swollen, her bottom lip split, both her hands and wrists raw and bloody from fighting the binds.

“She breathing,” Octavia announced. “Barely, but she is. She’s strong, Bell.” I helped get the suit on her, attaching the helmet. I scooped her up in my arms, holding her close to my chest. “Let’s get her home.”

We hurried, keeping a fast paced to get back to the bunker, cutting the forty minute walk in half. We were careful not the slip on Richard’s blood as we passed his remains. He would never hurt anyone again.

We arrived at the bunker, nodding quickly at the soldiers guarding the entrance and hurrying inside.

Roan and Ilian met us inside. “Echo!” Roan reached for her and my tired arms handed her over. We ran to medical, not even bothering to remove our hazmat suits at the door where they belonged.

“Abby!” Octavia shouted. Abby met us outside medical.

Everything was in slow motion. Abby was yelling but I couldn’t hear a word she said. Echo was placed on a bed, her suit removed. An oxygen mask was placed on her face, a needle pushed under her skin to pump fluids and medication into her veins.

Fifty-four seconds. That’s how long it took her to flatline.

 _Love is a funny thing. It make you happy, it fills your heart and soul. But it also has the ability to destroy every fiver of your being in mere seconds_.


	13. ...Osa Na Gyon Op

**_Bellamy_ **

Ten days. Ten days since Praimfaya hit. Ten days since Echo’s been on her death bed. She wasn’t improving and Abby wasn’t hopeful for a full recovery, or even a recovery at all.

I tried to remember the girl I love. The girl with the color in her cheeks and pink lips, with a sparkle in her eye and the rare smile. I tried to remember Echo as that girl, not the pale, lifeless body on the hospital bed.

I talked to her every night, though Abby said that it was wasted breath. When I asked her if it would be wasted breath if it was Kane on this bed, she walked away and never said anything about it again.

She flatlined a few times, that’s when Abby put a breathing tube down her throat directly into her lungs. She’s not fighting. She’s given up. That’s what Abby said. _Was it cruel to try to keep her alive when she didn’t want to be?_

******

It was day twelve, and there was no sign of improvement.

Abby walked in, a somber look on her face. “Bellamy…it’s been almost two weeks. The odds of her waking up are slim to none.”

“You’ve already told me that,” I said quietly, my eyes not leaving Echo.

“We’re wasting oxygen keeping a dead girl alive.”

 _That_ got my attention. “No. Taking away her oxygen will kill her! She’s not dead! She’s going to get better!” panic rose in my chest. “Give her a few more days. Just a few more days! Please, Abby!”

She hesitated. “Fine. Two days, the two week mark. Not another day longer.”

I turned to Echo once the doctor left. “You hear that, Echo? You need to get ready to wake up. You have two days to prepare.”

****** 

“Bell?”

“What?” I looked up at Octavia, confused.

She sighed, looking at me then at my untouched soup. “You’ve barely eaten since Echo was taken. You rescued her, Bell.”

“But she’s dying anyways. Abby’s killing her in two days. She thinks Echo’s a lost cause.”

Octavia stood up. “No she won’t. I’ll talk to Roan and Indra. They won’t let her do anything to Echo.”

“No. Don’t.”

She sat down slowly, concern in her eyes. “Bell?”

“She’s suffering, O. She isn’t fighting, she gave up. Maybe…maybe it’s time to let her go.”

My voice cracked and I couldn’t stop the tears this time. Octavia reached across the table, taking my hand in hers. She didn’t say anything. There was nothing anybody could say.

****** 

It was my last night with her. Tomorrow Abby would kill her. Everyone said that she was already gone, that she was just a shell. But I refused to believe them. Comatose patients can wake up, oxygen deprived patients can still walk away without brain damage. It’s possible. Abby admitted it was possible. She just didn’t think it was possible with Echo.

This girl, she survived so much. She survived many years of torture and abuse from Nia, she survived years of being used as a blood bank in Mount Weather, she survived Praimfaya and she would survive this. _She had to_.

“Echo?” I took her cold hand, like I did every night the past two weeks. But this? This was our last night. “If you’re in there, if you can hear me…I love you. I’ve loved you forever it seems. And…I want to be with you forever, but I’m not sure that’s possible. You’ve survived _so much_ , and it’s unfair to ask you to survive more. So if you want to be done, if you want me to let you go, I will. I’ll let you go, for you. And…and I’ll stay strong… _for you_.” I didn’t try to fix the crack in my voice or the tears on my face or the hole growing bigger in my heart. “I wanted…I wanted to wait to ask you this…I wanted to wait until after Praimfaya when we were safe down here but now I know I should’ve asked sooner. I wanted to marry you—to be bonded as your people call it. I wanted to be yours forever and have a family, to raise our children and be happy. I have, I have a ring my mother gave me before she was floated. I’ve kept it this whole time, she said she was sure I’d find someone I loved more than anything. I never thought I would…until I met _you_.”

I slipped the ring onto her finger, kissing her hand before moving to kiss her forehead. My lips lingered, knowing our time was being cut too short.

Tomorrow, everything would end.

******

“It’s time,” Abby announced softly as she and Jackson entered medical. Octavia, Ilian and Roan followed, somber looks on their faces. I watched in silence as the two doctor walked over to us. I kept her hand in mine, not wanting to say goodbye.

_It’s time._

I closed my eyes, not wanting to watch the ending of her life. The beeping of the monitors stopped, but the sound would forever be burned into my brain, the sound of her heart beating its last beats.

 _Is it over?_ I wanted to ask, but I was afraid. Afraid to know when she was gone.

I heard a soft gasp from somewhere in the room.

The hand in mine squeezed, and every cell in my body sparked back to life. It wasn’t an ending, it was a new beginning.

 _Kom folau oso na gyon op. From the ashes we will rise_.


	14. To New Beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapters will mostly be shorter than before but will be updated for frequently. I'm thinking there'll be about 10 more chapters left in the story.

_Three months later_

_Bellamy_

The hall was filled with people, Skaikru and Azgeda and Trikru alike. It took a little while, but with Indra with Octavia by her side representing Trikru, Roan and Echo representing Azgeda, and Kane and myself representing Skaikru, we found what began as small bits of trust and peace turned into all three clans working as one, a lasting peace. Nearly a hundred years of hate has been nearly all dissipated in three short months.

I was still adjusting to the grey walls. It was better than space, and not nearly as strict. Octavia was adamant about not creating a “one child per family” rule unless absolutely necessary. We didn’t say “go ahead and have as many kids as you want!” but we didn’t say “one child or else.” I didn’t want any child to have to grow up like my sister and I did. We tried our best not to be too strict on food or water, although food was permitted three times a day only. To ensure peace we had to create a lights out and quiet time policy, mostly for the sake of the children and those who had to be awake early for work, like I did.

Up at seven, quick breakfast with Echo when she was up early enough, guard duty from seven-thirty to twelve, lunch from twelve to one with my friends, return to guard duty from one to five, dinner, then when I wasn’t working extra shifts I went back with Echo to our room. It was my daily routine. Most days I wish for more time, especially for Echo. After she nearly died a few months ago, there was no way I was taking any of our time for granted and I was making the most of it. Our wedding, or as Trikru and Azgeda called it a binding ritual, was set a few weeks away. So much of Echo’s free time went into that, with Octavia over her shoulder. She’d be damned if her brother’s wedding ceremony was less than perfect.

That’s what was on mind when I headed to my room to retrieve Echo for dinner. I was so focused on my daydream that I passed the door, twice, not realizing the excited and nervous energy puling from the door.

When I finally managed to get inside the room, I found Echo waiting for me on the other side. She took a few steps back and the energy hit me full force. She was shifting her weight constantly, tense, her eyes darting to my face and away, cheeks rosy from excitement or maybe nerves, one hand twitching a little, the other pressed firmly on her stomach.

“I had to check with Abby before I told you to make sure…” she began, biting her lip nervously. I feared the worst at first, but she was excited to an extent and she wouldn’t be excited if something was wrong.

“Echo?”

“Bellamy…I’m pregnant.”


	15. Ogeda

**_Echo_ **

“Bellamy, I’m pregnant.”

Excitement, concern, and fear ran through me all at once. I never imagined I’d ever be pregnant, being a warrior in the royal guard and a spy. I had no experience with children! I know Bellamy had raised Octavia, but did he even want a child? What if he wanted me to get rid of the baby? Abby had said there were ways to _“terminate the pregnancy”_ —to kill the baby before it’s born, which I could never do. Or even worse, what if he just left me altogether to raise the child on my own? Would he?

“Echo,” he said again after a long moment of silence. “Echo, are you okay?” He moved closer, stopping just in front of me.

“Please don’t leave me,” I whispered.

His arms were suddenly around me, a hand rubbing my back rhythmically. “Echo, I’d never leave you. I promise,”

“Never?”

He pulled back, tilting my chin up to look at him. _“Never_. I _love_ you, Echo. You’re pregnant with _our_ child. This is our future.”

I nodded after a moment. One thing I knew was true was that Bellamy Blake would never lie to me. He never lies to anyone he cares for. He smiled suddenly. “I know someone who’ll be bubbling with excitement.”

**_Bellamy_ **

I knocked on the door, Echo constantly shifting her weight whether in excitement or nervousness I wasn’t sure. The door flew open and she bounced out of the room.

“Bell!” she practically yelled, throwing her arms around me. I laughed, hugging my sister back tightly. “I missed you!”

“You saw me yesterday at lunch, O.”

“It’s the hormones,” Roan responded, following her out of the room. Honestly, I had been completely against Octavia and Roan becoming a couple after Ilian and her broke things off. Telling her _“he’s the king of Azgeda”_ didn’t work since she responded back with _“you’re with the king of Azgeda’s personal spy.”_ My reservations went away when Octavia began to show her pregnancy and although he wasn’t the father, he asked her every five minutes if she was okay and treated as good as Lincoln would’ve.

“Hey!” she let me go so she could smack him. He chuckled. She turned back to me. “Is there a reason for this visit or did you decide to pay us a visit randomly?”

I pulled Echo up beside me. “We have something to tell—”

“Oh my god, you’re pregnant!” Octavia squealed. I looked at her in surprise, ignoring the overprotective look Roan was throwing my way, similar to the one I gave him when he first began spending time with my sister.

“How did you…?”

Octavia gave us her happiest smile. “You’re practically glowing! You look just like I did when I found out. My little one will have a… _cousin?_...to grow up with! I’m going to be a mother _and_ an aunt!”

Everyone laughed at Octavia’s excitement. It was an exciting thing, to become both a father and an uncle. To be able to watch both children grow up similar and age and being side by side through everything.

“What do you want? A boy or a girl?”

Echo hesitated for a moment. “A daughter.”

Octavia turned to me. “A daughter, to test that _‘daddy’s little girl’_ theory.”

Roan laughed. “We’re both hoping for a son.” He shook his head. “Though Octavia is sure we’ll be having a daughter. She said she can sense it.”

Octavia turned to us. “It’s surreal, feeling the baby growing inside of you. In a few months, you’ll really notice it. I can feel her stretches and kicks, it’s really amazing. Abby told me in a few more she can identify whether she’s a boy or girl, though I already know.”

“You _assume_ , not know,” Roan pointed out. I rolled my eyes. It was pointless to argue with my sister, she was too stubborn.

Sure enough, she turned on him. “I know, Roan. Don’t assume that I’m assuming.”

I held back a laugh. Octavia and Echo had so much in common, especially their stubbornness and determination. The two girls shared an amusing look. “Guys,” Octavia said with a smile.

“Hey!” Roan and I both mock-shouted. All of us could no longer contain our laughter.

******************************************************** 

Unlike on the Ark, the bunker had plenty of good food, thanks to good farming for treats such as corn and carrots, actual meat thanks to Ilian for bringing his chickens and sheep, water, and on the rare occasion goat’s milk. Thanks to Octavia’s horse, Helios, farm station was well fertilized. It was a small price to farm grass and hay and give water to the horse for him to fertilize all our food.

So, we were happy when we sat down for dinner to eat. The four of us sat down whenever we could and ate a meal. With my on guard’s duty and Roan as one of the three leaders, we didn’t often get long meals together so we greatly enjoyed the times we did like tonight.

Octavia was rubbing her hand over her now-visible baby bump. I saw Echo watching her. Pregnancy was even more terrifying to Echo than it was to Octavia when she learned she was pregnant nearly four months ago. But I knew my sister would help her through it as well as she could.

“Have you thought of names yet?” I asked her.

She looked at me for a moment before responding. “If she is a she, then I was thinking Hope. I haven’t thought of any boy names yet.”

I nodded. “I love the name Hope.”

“These babies are giving us hope, so that’s the perfect name,” Echo said, her hand still on her stomach, her face thoughtful. Octavia reached across the table and took Echo’s other hand.

“We’re going to get through this, Echo. _Ogeda_.”


	16. After All We've Been Through

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this one is so short, it's pretty much a filler chapter. The next one will updated within the next few days which hopefully makes up for this one!

**_Bellamy_ **

After all we’ve been through, I never imagined I’d end up _here_. After the war against the Grounders when we first came down, after the Grounders abandoned us in the war against Mount Weather, after Pike and the massacre of the Trikru army, after the war against Azgeda after the City of Light after the fighting when we learned of Praimfaya I never imagined I’d ever trust any Grounder again. But here I am, just days away from marrying the Grounder who nearly killed my sister—twice. The Grounder who for all her faults I fell in love with, who fell in love with me despite my faults and past for Grounder hatred. And in eight months, we’d be having the second inter-clan child in history. There would be two Skaikru/Azgeda children within five months of each other.

These are the thoughts that pass through my weary mind when I’m unable to sleep. In the past, when I couldn’t sleep, I’d walk the halls. But with Echo finally asleep, wrapped in my arms and head resting on my chest, I couldn’t bear to disturb her. So I laid in bed with my thoughts, one arm holding her close, the other hand ghosting over her back absentmindedly, comfortingly in a way.

Just five days, and I’ll be a married man. And the happiest man in this bunker, possibly the happiest man alive.

*******************************************************

“Are you ready?” Roan asked as we waited in line to get our lunch. “Ready to be tied down with Echo the rest of your life?”

“More ready than I’ve ever been,” I answered. “I really love her.”

Roan nodded. “Your sister and I have been talking about the possibility of getting bonded, before she has Hope.” He shook his head. “I can’t believe she was right about the baby being a girl.”

I nodded. “When?”

He shrugged. “Within the next few months, we’ve been waiting until after you’re bonding ceremony to really talk about it. Octavia is determined to make sure you and Echo has the best ceremony in all of existence.”

I laughed. “Sounds like O.”

We grabbed our food and headed to our seats. Both girls had brought their food to mine and Echo’s room to go over last minute details. Octavia said she needed to see if she had to make alterations to Echo’s dress, which spiked both me and Roan’s interest but neither girl would spill any detail of the dress, not even what color it was. Everyone besides the two girls were in the dark about almost everything, including myself.

One thing was certain, I had never been excited about anything besides Octavia in my life.


	17. Happy Endings Are Just Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here it is! The Becho wedding!

**_Echo_ **

“Octavia? I think I’m going to be sick.”

She rolled her green eyes, an amused smirk on her lips. “I’m sorry, but it’s quite funny when you get nervous.”

“I’m not nervous!” I folded my arms, frowning at her. _Okay, fine_. Maybe I was, just a _little bit_ though.

“Oh, you aren’t? You’re so nervous you’ve worried yourself sick!— _oh!_ ”

I jumped slightly. “Octavia, are you okay?”

She nodded with a smile. “She’s kicking, it startled me a little. Here,” she took my hand and placed it on her stomach. “Feel her?”

I couldn’t hide the smile. I felt little jabs coming from inside of her. “That’s amazing. Does it hurt at all?”

“No, not really. It made me a little sore at first but now it’s a constant feeling, sometimes she just catches me off guard is all. It’s going to be weird, once she’s born. I’m so used to having her in me!”

I laughed, all my nerves evaporating. “It’s scary to think that in a few months I’ll feel my baby kicking. It still feels surreal that I’m pregnant, that there’s a tiny human growing inside of me right now.”

“You’re eight months from motherhood, and 2 hours from being a married woman to the man you love and the father of your child. I think everything is surreal for you right now.”

I nodded with a hum. “I guess after everything we’ve been through, every stupid little thing we did made it worth it in the end. Every stupid mistake I made brought me here. If Bellamy never found me in Mount Weather, if I never aided the last Maunon in blowing up the mountain and betrayed the both of you to save you, if I never took over Polis, if I never stabbed you and nearly started a war, if I had never done any of that then I wouldn’t be here, he wouldn’t be here, right in this _exact_ moment.”

Octavia nodded. “Even through all the tragedies, everything happens for a reason to test us, to shape us into who we are meant to be.”

**_Bellamy_ **

“You better treat her right, once you are bonded,” Roan warned. “We might not be blood, but Echo is the only family I have.”

I looked him in the eye. “Besides Octavia, I have never loved anyone as much as I love Echo. I would never hurt her, not intentionally. And if I slip, I’ll have you to put me in my place, as will I with you and my sister.”

He chuckled. “I’m pretty sure if either of us slip, our girls will put us in our place long before we could.”

I laughed before turning serious. “I need this day to be perfect for Echo. She needs a good celebration, she’s been on edge since she found out she was pregnant. We both have.”

Roan nodded in understanding. “Don’t worry, Octavia has made sure it’s perfect, down to the food.”

“Sounds like Octavia,” I chuckled.

“So, what do you say about getting you ready for your ceremony?”

*******************************************************

The hall where the ceremony was being held was spectacular. There were artificial white flower decorations hung everywhere giving the room a beautiful glow, chairs and tables though mismatched covered much of the floor, leaving an obvious place for dancing. Roan walked to me to stand beside me on the raised stage. The stage had a stand with an impressive, intricate curved knife. The grounder tradition of binding through blood. Echo had assured me that although it would sting, it wasn’t too bad. She had been teaching me how to say it in Trigedasleng, the language of the grounders.

We watched as guests—mostly Azgeda and Skaikru—filtered in and sat. Raven plugged in a rustic radio up in the shadows, she had found what people used to call the wedding march and did some tweaking to make a more rustic, woodland version.

 _And it began_.

The beautiful melody started, and everyone turned to the door to await the bride.

**_Echo_ **

Music filtered out of the great hall and I stopped in my tracks.

“Echo? What’s wrong?”

“I’m scared,” I admitted in a whisper.

“ _You?_ You’re _Echo kom Azgeda!_ You aren’t afraid of _anything_. You’re about to marry Bellamy, the love of your life and the father of your child. You have been looking forward to this.”

“I know, I’m nervous, that’s all…”

“If we don’t head in, they might think you pulled runaway bride.”

“Pulled a _what?_ ” I looked at her in confusion. Of all the weird stuff I’ve heard Skaikru say, this was one of strangest.

She shook her head. “I’ll explain later, come. Hold my hand, just don’t break it.” she gave me one of her best smiles and I chuckled, taking her hand. I took a deep breath.

We walked through the door. Bellamy and Roan stood on the far end, eyes on me. I pretending the faces on the side, most of who I did not even know. The only faces in the crowd I was happy to see was my family—my mother and father, proud smiles on their faces, my brothers with their protective looks despite only knowing me a few short months and my sisters with beaming smiles. My mother reached her hand out and squeezed mine as I passed her.

Once we were on a raised platform, Octavia passed my hand she held to Bellamy. Gaia, Indra—Octavia’s mentors daughter—tied a white ribbon around our wrists, intertwining our hands. I could barely pay attention to the words Gaia was saying, the rituals themselves, a mix between Skaikru and Azgeda rituals. The only thing on my mind was Bellamy and our unborn child. The ribbon was loose enough to reveal our palms while still being tied.

 _“Oso tai choda op kom jus, kom hod in, kom chilnes,”_ I said as I cut my palm, worrying that I could not speak clearly from these emotions but surprised wen my voice rang out clearly.

Bellamy repeated the words in my native tongue, cutting his palm, and Gaia, seeing the confusion from the Skaikru who did not speak Trigedasleng, gave Bellamy a nod of permission to repeat his own words in English.

_“We bind ourselves in blood, in love, in peace.”_

We placed our cut hands together, our blood mingling. “You may kiss,” Gaia announced, one of the Skaikru rituals that at first confused many of my people since public shows of affection was often frowned upon. But this was a new era, so I did not hesitate when Bellamy leaned in and pressed his lips to mine. When we pulled apart, Gaia cut the ribbon, releasing us as a bonded couple. There was a moment’s pause, then applause erupted from the crowd gathered.

Bellamy gently wrapped a bandage around my hand and I did the same to him, then he took it. “For Skaikru weddings, it is customary for the couple to do a first dance before the festivities begin.”

“Just us, with _everyone_ watching?”

“Octavia said she taught you to dance.”

“She did…” I hesitated. In all honesty, when it came to dancing lessons, most of the time, I got out of it by convincing Octavia to spar instead. But I wasn’t about to admit that to Bellamy. “I’m not every good.”

He gave me his most charming smile. “Just follow my lead, think of it as an intricate dance you’d do in sparring, moving as one. Hell, maybe it’ll help you in a fight one day.”

I smiled at him, following him onto the dance floor. “Just keep your eyes on me, pretend I’m the only one here.”

“I don’t have to pretend. You’re the only one who matters.”

For the second time in mere minutes, he pressed his lips to mine.

_I once heard that everyone wants a happy ending, but there’s no such thing as an ending being happy. No, the true happy endings are just beginnings, the end of an era, and the beginning of a new one. True happy things never end._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is bittersweetly coming to an end, there are only a few more chapters left of this beautiful love story. Depending if anyone actually reads this and likes it, I may consider doing a prequel after this is finished.


	18. Growing Pains

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I accidentally skipped an entire chapter! This was supposed to be chapter 18 instead of Hope!

_Four months later_

**_Echo_ **

“I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this,” Octavia groaned, hand on her growing stomach. “I can’t wait to get her out.” Eight months pregnant, and she looked like she was going to burst.

I grimaced, hand on my own which was now starting to show. I was four months pregnant, one moth away from finding out whether I was having a son or daughter, five months from giving birth. It was terrifying, my stomach growing and stretching, the kicks and stretches of the baby. _There was a tiny human growing inside of me_.

“Abby said she’s _big_ , big and healthy. I asked her if she could induce labor and let me have this baby now, but she said that I have to wait full term. Ugh!”

“At least you have yet another month to prepare,” I offered, flinching when my baby gave me an unusually strong kick.

“I guess. Physically I’m prepared—we have the crib, clothes, but mentally I’m still terrified.”

“I don’t think _that_ feeling will go away,” I murmured.

She just hummed in response.

*******************************************************

It was late, late enough that Bellamy would be arriving shortly from his night guard duty. I had been trying to sleep for hours, unsuccessful and miserable. My body felt too heavy, my head hot and sweaty. I didn’t feel sick, I just didn’t feel comfortable. Tossing and turning, blanket on and off, tonight was worse than usual.

The keypad beeped, the door opening. I sat up, relieved Bellamy was back. He startled when he saw I was awake; I was always asleep long before he returned.

“Echo? Are you okay?” his brow furrowed in concern.

I nodded. “I’m okay. I just can’t sleep. It’s too hot in here…”

He headed over to me and pressed his hand to my forehead. “You’re a bit warm…come on, a cool shower might help.” He gently pulled me up from the bed and guided me to the bathroom. “Are you feeling sick?”

“No…I mean, I’m nauseous, but I’m always at least a little nauseous.”

“But you’re more nauseous than usual?”

“No…well, a little. I don’t think I’m sick though. I hope I’m not, anyways.”

He nodded, concern still evident on his face. He turned the water on, waiting until it was just right—not really cold, but not exactly warm—before he helped me out of my pajamas and guided me into the shower. The water while feeling good was colder than I’d like and I couldn’t help but shiver. Bellamy turned the water a little warmer, my body almost instantly relaxing. Once Bellamy determined I was cooled off enough he turned the water off, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around me.

“I think I’m ready to sleep now,” I murmured, voice already slurred with sleep. Instead of leading me back to bed he slid his arm under my legs and lifted me, carrying my tired body. I remember him dressing me in thin pajamas and then I drifted off.

*******************************************************

“They’re both okay,” Abby announced, turning the monitor off.

“Are you sure?” Bellamy asked, concern lacing his voice.

“Echo’s vitals are strong, the hormone levels due to the baby is what’s causing the uncomfortableness and what’s overheating her easily. And the nausea was expected, I can give her some medicine to help settle her stomach. The baby is doing well, her growth is excellent and her vitals are strong. Plus—”

“Wait,” I interrupted, finally clicking with what she had said. “Did you just say _her?_ ”

Bellamy’s eyes widened in realization. Abby smiled, nodding. “Yes, I did. You have a healthy daughter growing inside you.”

I moved my hand, resting it on the baby bump. Bellamy placed his hand on mine. Our eyes met and there was nothing in the world that could compare to our smiles.


	19. Hope (re-posted)

_Three weeks later_

**_Octavia_ **

Abby said I could give birth at any time now, a few weeks ago I was more than ready to get this baby out of me. But now? I’m more terrified than anything.

I wondered when _any time now_ would come, and then I was answered by a sudden cramping pain. I froze. When another cramping pain rolled through me again ten minutes later, I knew that _any time_ was **_now_. **

Minutes later, liquid ran down my leg. _The baby was coming now_.

 _“Roan!”_ I yelled, holding my stomach with one hand and bracing against the wall with me other. He came rushing into the room, sword in hand. His eyes went from the puddle on the floor to my face. “Roan…get Abby. The baby…she’s coming.”

*********************************************************

A half hour later, everything was ready. A clean sheet covered my bed, a bunch of pillows propping me up. Abby had removed my pants, my knees propped up, a small blanket my only source of privacy. Roan was more nervous than I was, I swear. He was pacing, pale and beads of sweat on his forehead. I was sure I was paler, and I could feel the sweat trailing down my jawline.

Bellamy and Echo hurried into the room, wide eyes.

“The baby’s coming?” Echo asked breathlessly, a hand on her own baby bump. I nodded, my jaw clenched. I was afraid that if I tried to speak, I couldn’t hold back the cry that was desperately trying to break loose. The contractions were closer together and more painful. Abby said it could take hours for the baby to be born. _Hours_.

A merciless contraction hit me. _Hard_. I couldn’t hold back the cries of pain anymore. Bellamy reached for my hand but I shook my head. It wasn’t my brother’s hand I needed in this moment, it was the other mother-to-be. We had the mutual feeling to this, both with growing babies in our bellies. And if she was going to squeeze the crap out of my hand when she has her baby, then I’m going to squeeze the crap out of her hand now.

“No. I want Echo.”

She looked at me, eyebrows raised in surprise. “ _Me?_ ”

I nodded vigorously. “You need a front seat to this, you’ll be going through this soon enough.”

She visibly gulped before moving over to me, holding her hand out. I took her hand anxiously, trying my best not to crush it. There was plenty of labor left, and I needed her hand to last through the duration of it. She grimaced when I squeezed hard on a contraction.

“Sorry!” I whimpered. If I was told giving birth hurt _this much_ I would have never had sex in the first place.

Echo just rubbed her thumb over my hand reassuringly. She turned to my brother. “When it’s time for me to go through this, you’ll get to take my place in the front seat, Bellamy.”

Despite the pain I laughed. Bellamy’s face had paled at the thought of her crushing his hand. “Are you sure? You kinda owe O for crushing your hand now.”

“O is going to be too busy taking care of Hope come my turn to give birth. So I’ll settle with crushing Roan and your hands instead.” She gave Roan a pointed look. “Considering you’re getting out of this hand crushing evening.”

He shrugged helplessly, considerably paler than I was by this point. “I’m about to become a father, I know she’s doing the hard work to be another but I need to pace to keep myself from fainting.”

I nodded, understanding. “You need your strength to care for the baby so I can get my sleep after she’s bor— _ah!_ _Roan!_ She’s coming—she’s coming,” I panted. My vison blurred from the tears and I squeezed Echo’s hand as hard as I could, barely hearing her gasp at the sudden pressure.

“Okay, it’s time to push! Come on, you can do it!” Abby appeared.

*******************************************************

I’m not sure whether it was minutes or hours, I was pushing and crying and crushing Bellamy and Echo’s hand the whole way. _“Push!”_ Abby yelled in slow motion.

“I see her head!” Abby announced. “Just a few more good pushes, Octavia! Just a few more!”

I sucked in a breath before pushing, not even bothering to even try to hold back a scream by this point. “One more, Octavia!”

“You can do it, O!” Bellamy this time, from his new spot on my other side. I searched for Roan, knowing I wouldn’t find him. Who knew the big bad king would faint seeing childbirth?

One more push. _One more_ …

Everything was eerily silent and in slow motion for a moment, and then…

Crying. Loud, clear, beautiful crying coming from perfectly tiny little lungs. “You have a daughter,” Abby told me before walking to her set up to check her vitals and clean her. Bellamy released my hand to bend down beside Roan. Echo walked away to see the baby. To see Hope. Echo appeared back by my side a few minutes later with a squirming bundle. She handed me my daughter.

“She’s perfect,” Echo whispered. I smiled down at the baby. Small tufts of dark hair, dark eyes looking around, tiny little lips forming an O as she froze mid-cry.

“My little Hope,” I whispered. Roan was finally up and he reached for her. She grasped onto one of his fingers.

“My little Hope.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just 3 more! 2 out of 3 of them are already written and awaiting the time to post! I am considering writing a sequel depending on if anyone wants one!


	20. The Gift of a Daughter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just two more left after this! I am considering writing a sequel to this if anyone wants one

_Five weeks later_

**_Echo_ **

“We find out whether we’re having a girl or boy today,” I told Octavia, my eyes on the baby in my arms. Hope, who was beginning to be awake more often, was looking around with her wide brown eyes. She made a cute little sound, like a mix between a squeal and gurgle.

“What are you hoping for?” she asked, her eyes leaving her daughter to look at me.

“Honestly? I want a daughter. Bellamy wants a daughter too. Though I wouldn’t mind a son.”

She nodded. Hope started to whimper. “She’s hungry.” I handed to baby back to her mother, who as subtly as unbuttoned her shirt so the babe could drink. “It’s quite miraculous, having a baby grow inside you for nine months. I thought is was surreal, but it’s even more surreal when the baby is born and you have this tiny little human. Ten perfectly wrinkled toes and fingers, this grabby little hands, little legs that kick, the most beautiful face you’ve ever seen, little pink lips and curious, innocent eyes. It’s the most real thing in the world. When your baby is born, you’ll find yourself just staring, memorizing every tiny detail on him or her.”

I smiled at her, beginning to wonder what my child would look like. Dark hair and brown eyes for sure. But would the baby have straight hair like me or Bellamy’s curls? I hoped that the baby would inherit Bellamy’s freckles.

The hardest part now, besides the labor itself, was picking a name.

*********************************************************

**_Bellamy_ **

We headed to medbay for our appointment with Abby. We would be finding out the sex of our child today, as today was the sixth month mark. Echo’s always growing belly started to make everyday life for her difficult, although we knew it was coming from my sister’s experience. She could never get comfortable in bed, she had to sit sideways at dinner or else her stomach would constantly bump the table edge…she couldn’t wait to get this baby out of her.

Abby greeted us in medbay with a smile. “Are you two ready?”

Echo and I looked at each other with excited smiles and nodded.

“Alright,” she led the way to the room she set up with a bed and an ultrasound that was very conveniently down here. It didn’t work at first Abby had said, but Raven was able to restore it. Echo, by now used to the rather frequent ultrasounds, sat on the propped up bed and laid back, lifting her shirt for Abby. “Let’s see if you’re growing a baby girl or boy.”

Echo glanced at me, her face showing excitement and nervousness at the same time. I took her hand, giving it a little squeeze. She jumped a little when Abby put the gel on her stomach and rubbed the strobe around to find the baby. After a few seconds Abby turned to us with a smile. “Would you like to see?”

Echo nodded enthusiastically. Abby turned the monitor. Echo gasped at the image. I sat up straighter, mesmerized.

 _“That’s our baby?”_ I asked almost breathlessly. “We created _that?_ ”

Abby chuckled. “Yes. You created this perfect little girl.”

Echo finally tore her eyes from the screen. “It’s a _girl?_ ”

Abby nodded. “Yes, she’s developing quite nicely and her heart is strong. Would you like to hear it?”

****************************************************

“A daughter, we’re going to have a daughter!”

We were back in our room, Echo on the bed propped up by a mass of pillows. I rubbed her belly, still hyped up from the news.

“A perfect little girl, and she’ll have a cousin just a few months older than her to grow up with.” She turned to me. “Should we tell Octavia?”

I laughed. “I think we should. Roan, too. They’ll love to know that they’ll have a niece.”

She chuckled. “Well, maybe Octavia. Roan was hoping for a nephew since he didn’t get a son. Though I’m pretty sure Hope and our babe will be forces to be reckoned with.”

That was the truest thing I’ve ever heard. Hope and our daughter may be girls, but no doubt that they’ll be just as badass and tough as their mothers. They’ll be little warriors, of the ice and sky.

“Octavia will want to know if we chose a name,” Echo interrupted my thoughts. “We haven’t chosen one yet.”

“I didn’t name Octavia until after she was born,” I reminded her.

“Yes, but you were a child who hadn’t known you’d be naming and raising her and you didn’t know the sex. If you had known that Octavia was a girl and that you’d be naming her, would you have before she was born?”

I hesitated. She was right, I would have. _Anyone_ would’ve. I finally nodded.

“Do you have any idea then?” I asked her.

Echo hesitated this time, biting her lip. “I was…I was thinking that maybe we could name her Aurora…after you’re mother.” She watched me carefully, beginning to rant when she didn’t get a response. “I mean, we don’t have to…only if you want to. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have—” I pressed my lips to hers to stop the rambling. She looked at me in surprise when I pulled away

“I love it, Echo. It’s perfect.” She relaxed and gave me a small smile. “Now let’s go tell O and Roan that they’ll have a niece.”

She took my hand and we headed to the dinner hall where they’d be. We found them at the usual table with Hope. “I’ll get us our food,” I told Echo and she nodded, sitting across from Octavia. I went to the line to get two plates and sat beside Echo and across from Roan.

“So?” Octavia looked at us expectantly, passing Hope to Roan. “Did you find out what your baby is?”

Echo smiled at me, nodding. I turned to my sister. “We’re having a daughter.”

Octavia squealed. Roan shook his head with a smile. “Guess I’m out of luck with there being any boys.”

Octavia laughed. “When Hope and…when the two girls kick your ass in a few years you won’t care about having boys.” She turned back to us. “Does she have a name?”

I turned to Echo, nodding at her. Your turn.

Echo nodded. “She does…her name is Aurora.”


	21. It All Fell Down

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is I guess the 1st half of the final chapter. Just one more left (probably will add the final chapter on Friday)

_Three weeks later_

**_Echo_ **

Preparation for the baby seemed never ending. Getting a makeshift crib built, a seamstress from Azgeda was making a baby blanket and baby clothes for Aurora. It was exciting and terrifying, that there was just two months until she would be born. But seeing Octavia with Hope made me feel more than ready for Aurora to come into this world.

Roan and Bellamy were on guard duty, so Octavia had asked me to go with her for Hope’s checkup. She was seen every few weeks, Abby said as a newborn she could get sick so easily and her little body wasn’t strong enough to fight anything off so making sure she was always healthy was important. Octavia brought me to most of Hope’s appointments anyways just for practice.

So now we were heading to medbay, the baby in Octavia’s arms. Abby and Clarke met us at the door. Now Clarke was a face I hadn’t seen in a long time, she was always “busy”—in other words avoiding Bellamy and me.

“You didn’t tell me _she_ was going to be here,” Clarke mumbled, loud enough for me to hear.

Long story short, she had a thing for Bellamy and they used to co-lead before the civilization in the bunker formed. But Bellamy never felt for her the same way—close friends, like family. Then his feelings for me grew from hatred to friends to love. Clarke told him to choose and he chose me and I had rarely seen her since. In the bunker, with no leadership role and still a doctor’s apprentice the once peaceful and spunky girl grew bitter.

I huffed. “I’m here as support Octavia—and to practice as I’ll be down this road soon enough.”

“Oh…you’re pregnant…”

I sighed and looked at Octavia.

“Clarke, enough. Let’s just get this over with.”

********************************************************

“I saw Clarke today,” I told Bellamy as we changed into more comfortable clothing for dinner.

His head snapped towards me. “Clarke?”

“She was helping Abby during Hope’s appointment. She was very…annoyed at seeing me…and, well, this,” I motioned at my very noticeable belly.

He rolled his eyes. “She needs a voice on the council…and a relationship. Just sitting around has made her bitter and she’s pushed Niylah away.”

I hummed in agreement. “Let’s get to dinner. My stomach feels really queasy, the whole situation earlier has upset Aurora or something. She’s been thrashing around quite a bit since.”

“Did you tell Abby?”

“Yeah, she said it’s just nerves and that Aurora is beginning to feel more cramped each day in there.”

He closed the gap between us, pressing his lips gently to mine. “Maybe you just have to relax. Dinner can wait.” His lips trailed down my jawline to my neck.

“Bellamy, Octavia is waiting f—mm, she can wait a little while.”

I let him guide me backwards to the bed. His lips made their way back to mine and he kissed deeply. I slowly leaned backwards until I was lying down, trying to stay comfortable with him but take the pressure off my ever growing belly. One of his hands rubbed calming circles on my stomach, the other hand roaming.

No, I never wanted this to change. But then again…this is how _babies_ happen so maybe, just maybe, things could change in the future. _Just a little…_

****************************************************

The urgent knocking on the door brought us out of our sleep.

“Crap! We never made it to dinner!” Octavia sure wasn’t going to be happy being stood up by us. Then again, I didn’t expect Bellamy to tire me out so well.

Bellamy got up groggily, throwing a shirt on and opened the door. Roan’s voice sounded from the doorway. “There’s some major unrest coming this way—a huge fight between Skaikru and Azgeda.”

“Why?” Bellamy asked.

“Skaikru are taking Trikru apprentices in the jobs we aren’t familiar with and not Azgeda and the people are protesting. I guess peace without violence couldn’t last forever, huh? Figured it would be best to get Echo to a safe zone until this blows over, with the baby and all. Octavia is already there.”

I hurriedly slipped my jacket on and threw some clothes in a bag for good measure and came up from behind Bellamy at the door, giving a silent nod to Roan in understanding. “Come, we must hurry.”

*************************************************

I’m not sure how we got caught up in this. Though it shouldn’t surprise me. The head of the Skaikru guard, the king of Azgeda, and one of the two girls most important to both of them. Azgeda pulled swords and bows and Skaikru had the unfair element of guns.

_I should have brought my bow and arrows._

An Azgeda warrior wrestled a gun from a Skaikru guards hands, it was the easiest kill and the one that started it. The other Azgedians went for the Skaikru guns. Roan was yelling, him and Bellamy doing their best to shield me and herd me out of the brawl.

_I should have brought my bow and arrows._

One of the Azgedians pointed his gun at Bellamy and shot, everything slowing down as if time itself had stopped.

_He was a lousy shot._

_I should have brought my bow and arrows._

_Pain._ That’s all I could register. My shoulder throbbed from there the bullet went straight through. But I didn’t care about that pain. The pain I cared about was the pain searing through the center of my stomach. I don’t remember falling, but here I was on the ground, my head on Bellamy’s lap. I saw him and Roan’s mouths moving but I couldn’t hear a sound. A warm liquid pooled between my legs. Without thinking I reached down and my hand came back red.

 _Blood._ And a lot of it.

“The baby,” I said which came out barely above a whisper. “Don’t let my baby die.”

Suddenly I was flying, a board beneath me leaving me floating through time and space on the way to medbay, a trail a blood and tears following us. The board disappeared and a stiff mattress took its place. A clear mask over my nose and mouth—to suffocate me and feed me oxygen all at the same time. A prick on the arm, to pump my body with fluids and blood to replace the lost.

_Save my baby._

“She’s losing too much blood,” Abby’s distorted voice came from a faraway land, telling Bellamy who must have been crying silent tears of pain. “I can save her, but she’ll lose the baby.”

 _“No!”_ my heavy, tired voice screamed. “You don’t let my daughter die! Save her!”

Quiet discussion too low for my straining, foggy ears. Then they rose to a shout, too loud and too agonizing,

_Save my baby._

“Bellamy! If I save the baby, then Echo will die. They both can’t be saved.”

 _Save my baby_.

“She wants Aurora saved…even if it costs her life.”

“Can you raise the child knowing that she’s alive because her mother is dead?”

“She’s my _daughter!_ ”

 _Save my baby_.

“I’ll so my best to save the baby…I hope you’re making the right choice.”

“If I went against my wife’s wish, it’d be the wrong choice,” he was crying, I knew he was. I could hear the thickness in his voice, how it caught.

_And all I gave you was gone. Tumbled like it was stone. Thought we built a dynasty that heaven couldn't shake, though we built a dynasty like nothing ever made, thought we built a dynasty forever couldn't break up. It all fell down, it all fell down._


	22. Dynasty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it. The final chapter of this story.   
> I originally began this story after I was unsuccessful in finding more than a handful of good Becho fanfics. As I could only find like 3 at the time this started, I decided to just write my own.  
> I expected this to be a 5 chapter story, 10 was pushing it. I never imagined I'd finish with 22 chapters.  
> I have been playing with the idea or a sequel taking place maybe 4-5 years after this ends, though I'm not 100% sure if I will. I guess we'll see.  
> Without further ado, enjoy this final bitersweet chapter to this story.

**_Bellamy_ **

_“Bellamy! If I save the baby, then Echo will die. They both can’t be saved.”_

_“She wants Aurora saved…even if it costs her life.”_

_“Can you raise the child knowing that she’s alive because her mother is dead?”_

_“She’s my daughter!”_

The truth was, I wasn’t sure if I could. I know, I know that it isn’t Aurora’s fault, I know it isn’t. But she’ll be alive because her mother sacrificed her life for her. But if I saved Echo, she’d never forgive me for letting Aurora die. Though if Echo died— _when_ Echo dies, I’d never be able to forgive _myself_. I lose both ways. I’ll lose the love of my life or my daughter. _I lose either way_.

“Mom, wait!” Clarke came into the room, breathless, Niylah behind her. “Niylah, tell her.”

Niylah looked at Abby, then to me, then back to Abby. “I might be able to save them both. It’s a long shot, but it is possible. It rarely happens on the ground, but with your technology…”

“If we try to save them both we could lose them both,” Abby argued.

“Isn’t it worth it? To try to save the both of them instead of leaving a child motherless or a mother childless? Isn’t it?”

“My job is to save the baby, not a risky procedure that you think you can do that could kill them both!”

The back and forth went on and on until Clarke turned to me. “Bellamy! Listen, this is your choice, not my mother’s, not anyone’s but yours.”

I shook my head. I couldn’t…

“If my mom saves Aurora, Echo _will_ die. If Niylah and I attempt her plan, yes there is a chance they’ll both die but a chance that they’ll _both_ live! You need to decide _now_. There’s no time.”

I walked past them to Echo, brushing a few strands of hair off her sweaty forehead. If there was even the slightest chance that they could both make it, I have to take the chance. I just hope she’d understand…

I turned to Clarke and nodded. “Do it. Do your best to save the both of them. If it comes to only one of them surviving…save Aurora.”

Clarke nodded and starting rattling off orders to Abby and Jackson and the rest of the staff who gathered to see what the commotion was. Something about a blood bank and all hands on deck. I wasn’t really listening. I stumbled into the hallway where Roan and Octavia were waiting.

****************************************************

“Bellamy…just sit and rest. If anything happens, good or bad, someone will let us know.”

“It’s been _four hours_ , O! Echo and Aurora are fighting for their lives in there and you want me to sit down and rest?” I didn’t mean to snap at her, but I did. And I was too wound up to feel bad.

“What if they walk out here any minute with your daughter? You’re going to be too tired from pacing for hours to hold her and care for her!”

I sighed before sitting against the opposite wall of her and Roan. She was right, like usual. Even though I hated it.

“What if neither of them make it, O?”

“Then we’ll survive it, and me and Roan and Hope will be with you very step of the way. But what of they _both_ make it? They could and you need to be strong for them. If they both make it, you’re going to have a baby born a few months too early and a wife who’ll need a while to recover from that surgery. You’ll need to care for them both, though you won’t be alone in that either.”

_She’s always right._

I went to respond, then the door opened and Clarke stuck he head out. We all stood anxiously, hoping for the best news and trying to prepare for the worse. Clarke smiled and nodded.

 _We all relaxed_.

“They made it through. Aurora is small, but she’s alert and healthy considering. She’s ready to meet her daddy. Echo isn’t out of the woods and it’ll be a long journey, but she’s alive and she’s strong. Ready to come see them?”

We all nodded and followed Clarke. She led us past the operation room into a small little room to the side. We heard the loud cries of a newborn before Clarke even opened the door.

_There she is._

In Niylah’s arms was a little squirming bundle. When she saw us, she offered me the bundle with an encouraging smile. I carefully took the baby, looking down at her. She was quite a bit smaller than Hope, but just as perfect. And just as good lungs considering the noise the little one was making!

Octavia peered over my shoulder, smiling at the baby. “She’s beautiful.”

I offered her the baby, wanting to check on Echo more than anything. She took Aurora with an understanding smile and turned to Roan. I walked away from them, knowing my daughter was in good hands, to check on Echo.

She was pale, paler than I’ve ever seen her. A monitor beside her bed showed her vitals. Her heart was strong. I watched the grid rise and fall with every beat. A needle in one arm was giving her fluids, the needle in the other was giving her blood to make up for what she lost in the surgery.

“She’s going to be okay.” I jumped when Clarke appeared beside me. “She has a lot of recovery to do, but she’s strong, stronger than anyone. She should wake up within the next day or so, mom wants to keep her under as long as possible. Then she’ll need a few weeks of bedrest, than a few weeks of taking it easy. Within a month or so she should be back to herself. The important thing is that both she and Aurora made it.”

I nodded. This all felt surreal. “Thank you, Clarke. Really. I know how you feel about Echo…and me. And you still saved her life. I’ll never forget that.”

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry I wasn’t a good friend to you and pushed you all away. Maybe…maybe when she wakes up and recovers you can see if she’ll give me a second chance?”

“I know she will. You gave her a future with our daughter.”

********************************************************

_Three days later_

**_Echo_ **

“It’ll take some time, Bellamy. She’ll wake up when she’s ready.”

Me. they were talking about _me_. But why…

It all came back to me. The fight, being shot, problems with my pregnancy, being just nearly seven month pregnant, _save my baby_. _Aurora_.

I tried to look around me, everything coming in little bursts of images. “Echo?” _Yes, keep talking. Help me wake up. Where’s my baby?_ “Echo?”

I felt a hand take my own. “Echo, if you can hear me, squeeze my hand.” I put all the strength I had into the squeeze and I heard his happy gasp of relief. “Aurora’s here, she can’t wait to officially meet her mother. She’s on the small size, but she’s strong.” That was all the incentive I needed. _My baby is alive_.

The ceiling came into view and I blinked a few times until it came into focus. My gaze shifted until a familiar and relieving face came into view. Black curls, dark brown eyes, freckles. “You’re okay, you’re both okay.” He reached out and brushed his hand gently across my cheek. “Octavia, bring her over.”

He pressed something on the bed that caused the back to rise up a little so I was no longer flat on my back. Octavia came into view with a small baby in her arms. _My baby_. Bellamy took her from his sister, smiling down at the baby.

“Aurora,” I whispered.

He sat beside the bed. I reached for the baby and he handed her to me, helping me hold her up. My arms felt weak, foreign, but I didn’t even care about my weakened state. All I cared about was the little girl in my arms.

**********************************************************

 “Ten little fingers, ten little toes,” I tickled each toe and earned a tiny little squeal of laughter from the three-week-old baby. “Two strong little legs and two arms. A perfectly ticklish little belly,” another squeal of laughter erupted from Aurora when I tickled her belly. “Two strong lungs, an adorable little chin, those chubby little baby cheeks, the prettiest brown eyes in the entire world, and the cutest fluff of hair.” She laughed again, eyes wide and curious.

Bellamy entered the room, smiling at us. “Are you two ready to go to dinner?”

I nodded enthusiastically. “After being stuck on bedrest for a few weeks, I’m ready to finally go get dinner myself and get out of this room. I’m sure Aurora is ready for a change in view too!”

Bellamy helped me out of bed then handed me the baby. “Is it alright is Clarke and Niylah joined us? Octavia and Roan said its fine with them if it’s fine with us.”

I shrugged. I don’t particularly like Clarke or know Niylah but… “They did save my life… _our_ lives, so I guess.”

“Clarke wants another chance, Echo.”

“We’ll see.”

It was good, very good, to be able to stretch my legs and get new surroundings. Aurora’s eyes were wide and her little lips forming an o as she saw the ceiling change. She was much too young to have mobility of her head to look around so I lifted her a little so she could take in the view even if it was just steel walls. The dining hall was a much better view. The children of the bunker took the liberty to pain and decorate the room and bursts of color and pictures covered each wall. At our usual table Octavia and Roan were already waiting. Octavia stood with Hope when she saw us come over.

“Look, Hope! That’s your cousin. You were supposed to be a few months apart but you’re only weeks apart now.”

The two babies just stared at each other, too young to comprehend anything.

“They’ll be the best of friends growing up,” Octavia resaid with a proud smile.

“And two little terrors if their anything like their mothers!” Roan joked and he and Bellamy had a good laugh.

Clarke and Niylah appeared at the table, Clarke looking from the sitting men to me and Octavia who were still standing. “Mind if we sit?”

Maybe it was time to forgive and forget, to start fresh with these two little babes, the start of a new generation.

“Go ahead,” I told them with a smile.

The four of us sat, Clarke and Niylah cooing over the two babies. Hope was passed around and the baby was thrilled with the attention. It took me a little while before I was comfortable with anyone beside me or Bellamy holding Aurora but eventually I let her get passed around. Niylah was holding her, the biggest smile on her face.

It was the end of an era but the beginning of a new one. We still had five more years in this bunker, five more years until we could go outside, but those years would be paved by two little babies who would one day change the world.

We were one big family now. No, we were more than that.

 _We are a **dynasty**_.


End file.
